Roman Terracotta Oil Lamp with Dwarf Gladiator

Squat lamp with broad discus and segmented shoulder, ribbed upper face to nozzle, pierced lug handle; discus with low-relief image of Mithras grappling the bull. 138 grams, 12 cm



From the private collection of Mr K.A., acquired in the 1990s-early 2000s.

Each a D-section disc with central triskele and coiled arms, segmented detailing to the outer face. 340 grams total, 10-10.2 cm



From 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.

The two mounts are elements of horse harness decorating the antilena and postilena of the horse, as intersection fittings of the main straps. According to Alfoldi, these horse harnesses were the product of a metallurgy that was the fruit of a Gallo-Roman revival, and not exclusively of military nature. The military adopted similar elements fruit of the revival of this Celtic-Roman decorative art, since such harnesses have also been discovered in border fortresses. But the large industrial centers, which worked for export, manufactured objects primarily for the Danubian regions where both the soldiers and the civilian population, without distinction of class, used them as habitual objects.

With impressed cross motif. 1.45 grams, 20 mm



Collected from 1970-1999. From the collection of the late Mr S.M., London, UK.