Roman or Gandharan Decorated Silver Aryballos

Group of five iron clout-nails permanently mounted in a wooden display case with sloping sides and sliding glazed lid; with information panel 'Iron Nails / From / Roman Legionary Fortress / at / Inchtuthil, Perthshire, Scotland / A.D.83-87'; supplied with a printout on the subject of the Inchtuthil fortress. 713 grams total, 36 x 15.8 cm



From excavations started by Richmond in Perthshire, Scotland, from the 1950s, and discovered in the summer of 1960. Selected and boxed by David Colville & Sons by 1963. Property of a Norwich, Norfolk, UK, gentleman.

The fortress at Inchtuthil was a fortified headquarters and forward supply depot for the forces led by the Roman governor, Gnaeus Julius Agricola, when he undertook a lengthy campaign against the Caledonian tribes in the north of Britain. The campaign is mentioned in the biographical work written by his son-in-law, the historian Tacitus, which has been studied in order to understand the Roman plan for the subjugation of the island. The troops chosen for the campaign were drawn from the 20th Legion (Legio XX Valeria Victrix). While the construction of Inchtuthil and other strongholds took place, the troops lived in temporary encampments which were also fortified and formed a chain of defensive sites from which domination of the surrounding territory could be achieved. Subsequently once the site was abandoned late in the 1st century A.D., (around 86 A.D.) no further building took place there or in the area. Excavation in the 20th century by Sir Ian Richmond (begun in 1952) revealed a pristine site with its complete plan recoverable - unique in the Roman Empire. The defences were a broad ditch and turf wall with stone facing, with watchtowers and gatehouses. The site was thought to have been abandoned due to relocation of troops to counter an invasion from eastern Europe into the province of Dacia, although this is no longer certain. A huge quantity of iron nails (more than 875,000) was recovered from a pit in the fort as well as other ironware; the goods had been buried in order not to let them fall into the hands of the Caledonians. The excavated nails and other items were sorted and sold in small parcels, which was completed by 1963.The nails range in size from small nails between thirty-eight and seventy millimetres long, up to the massive spikes three hundred and seventy-two millimetres long. These kind of long nails were also used for crucifixions.

Rectangular panel of decorative mosaic tesserae comprising: wave pattern border in cream and graduated blue-grey tesserae with darker outer edge; inner border of graduated maroon and dark blue-grey tesserae; central field with two inner rows of four and two outer rows of five parakeets in various standing and perching poses, each formed from blue and green glass tesserae with white, crimson and other detailing to the eye, beak and chest; embedded in a sturdy steel-framed matrix of traditional mid 20th century type. 2.12 x 2.05 m



with Leon Simard, 1960s, Montreal, Canada. Archaeologia Gallery, 1980s. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.12966-244460.

The design of repeated birds against a neutral field is similar to patterns found on Late Roman and Sassanian textiles of roughly the same date, especially silk and wool textiles woven on more mechanised looms. Birds of all varieties appear frequently in floor mosaics and other arts of the Roman period; however, beribboned birds are rare.

P-shaped or Aucissa variant, deeply arched bow with two incisions; maker’s name 'ACUTI' at the front of the bow. 10.9 grams, 51 mm



Found East Anglia, UK. From a Kent collection formed in the 1990s.