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LOT 0746
Roman Mosaic Stone Tesserae Group
1ST-4TH CENTURY A.D.
3/8 - 5/8 in. (336 grams total, 9-14 mm).
A mixed group of two hundred and fifty single tesserae of various colours and sizes, mostly cuboid. [250, No Reserve]
ProvenanceFrom a collection acquired on the UK art market from various auction houses and collections mostly before 2000.
From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent.
This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.
For similar tesserae see Gabucci, A., Pejrani Baricco, L., Ratto, S., Per il Museo di Ivrea, La sezione archeologica del Museo Civico P.A. Garda, Sesto Fiorentino, 2014, cover, mosaic from a Domus of Eporedia.
FootnotesRoman mosaics were made from small cubes of natural stone and terracotta possibly cut from tile or brick. Each of these small cubes was called a tessera (several tesserae) from the Latin word for dice.
CONDITIONTimeLine Auctions follows a vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists: Our Vetting Process
AUCTIONS:
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Late Roman Glass Ribbed Dish
Eastern Empire, 5th-6th century A.D.Estimate: £250 - 350 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £125
Iridescent glass bowl with thick sidewall, vertical ribbing extending to the base, rolled rim. 174 grams, 89 mm
Formerly in North American collection, 1990s. From the collection of a London, UK, gentleman. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato. -
Roman Legion XIII 'Battle of Munda' Lead Slingshot
1st century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £195
Fusiform with pointed ends, reserved 'LXIII' (LEGIO XIII = 13th Legion) legend. 55.7 grams, 51 mm
Acquired on the UK art market. Property of a gentleman collector. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.
The shot (Völling type 1C) is marked with the abbreviated name of Legion XIII, and was probably used at the Battle of Monda (or Munda) against Julius Caesar, 17th March 45 B.C., or against the sons of Pompey, because both the generals (Pompey sons and Caesar) had in their army a Legio with the numeral XIII on that day. Interestingly, other glandes of the same typology from the same battlefield bear the name of Pompey, so that it is much possible that the glans belongs to the Legio XIII of Pompey, who was destroyed during the battle and whose survivors were massacred among the 22,000 defenders of Cordoba by the troops of Caesar (D'Amato, 2021, pp.421 and 424). The projectiles were made of different materials: lead (glandes) or in pottery or stone (lapides missiles). -
Roman Yellow Glass Bottle with Iridescence
2nd-3rd century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £104
Bulbous body with dimpled underside, tubular neck with rolled and folded rim, iridescent surface. 10.1 grams, 65 mm
with H.A.C., Basel, prior 1999. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.
