Roman Tile Fragment Group with Military Stamps

A copper-alloy statuette base formed with a waisted edge and circular upper and lower faces, the lower with a greater circumference than the upper. 86 grams, 53 mm



Essex gallery, early 2000s.

A redware ceramic fragment with moulded low-relief decoration of a victorious Auriga (chariot-driver) standing in his chariot with four rearing horses yoked to it; geometric detail to his tunic, a frond in his bent left arm and a whip in his raised right hand; incised bilinear lettering '-TA' to the left and 'PV- / TO[V?]-' to the right in Greek letters; modern mounting loop to the reverse. 74 grams, 90 mm



Acquired 1960s-1990s. From the late Alison Barker collection, a retired London barrister.

The pottery fragment shows an image of a charioteer in the moment of victory, with his left hand carrying a palm branch. The iconography is visible in the monument of Porphyrios in Constantinople and the charioteers of the Baccano mosaics. The detailed representation of the Auriga shows the attributes of his work: he wears a close-fitting undershirt with sleeves (γυμναστικiον) and an ornamented sleeveless tunic over it, leaving the knees exposed as is typical for charioteers (αυριγαριον).

A group of two bone dice: one of tabular form with ring-and-dot markings disposed 1:2, 3:4, 5:6; one cuboid with one damaged face, markings disposed 2:5, 3:4, 6: [1 absent]. 3.79 grams total, 11 mm each

Fine condition; one with damaged face.

Ex UK art market, 1970s. Property of a London gentleman.