Seven Roman to Medieval Copper Alloy Miniatures

Europe and Near East, Roman to Medieval period. A compact assemblage of seven miniature metal ornaments, cast in copper alloy, brass, and leaded bronze, spanning the Roman era through the medieval centuries. The group gathers openwork pendants with punched ring-and-dot borders, a lyre-shaped mount with pierced ladder body, a lobed strap fitting, a loop-headed toggle or terminal, a small triangular blade-form pendant, a biconical bead-like element, and a long tapered pin with collared and disc-form finial. Surfaces carry earthen deposits and green to brown patination consistent with long burial. Ornaments of this kind were worn suspended from cord or attached to belts, harness, and garment straps, functioning at once as decoration and, in many cases, as protective amulets. Their diminutive scale suited them to personal wear and constant handling. Small cast ornaments of this type are among the most numerous survivals of Roman and medieval material culture, produced in workshops across the provinces and traded far beyond them. Alloy choice was rarely accidental: brass (copper with zinc) took a bright golden polish prized for showy dress fittings, while heavily leaded bronzes flowed readily into fine openwork molds and were cheaper to cast in quantity. The ring-and-dot motif punched into several of these pieces is one of the longest-lived decorative devices in European metalwork, appearing on Iron Age, Roman, and early medieval objects alike, and often read as an apotropaic eye against misfortune. Please note that items in this lot contain up to 39% lead and are not recommended for wear. Item # 204626

Estimation:€312.02

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