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Metal Antiquities

Copper was shaped by hammering from early prehistoric times. The Timna Valley in Israel contains evidence of copper mining in 7000 - 5000 B.C. Copper pins, arrowheads, and small personal accouterments date from this time, and it was not long until these gave way to chisels, axes, needles, and larger tools. Ötzi the Iceman found in the Alps in 1991, dated to about 3300 B.C., was found with a copper axe.

Bronze, a harder alloy of copper and tin, was developed in Egypt during the 3rd Dynasty, c. 2650 B.C. It was commonly used from 2200 B.C. In the Bronze Age, metal vessels and statues of deities were introduced. Beautiful bronze animals, pins, and finials from Luristan and Amlash date to the 8th century B.C. Bronze kouros and animals are among the archaic bronzes made in Greece. From the 6th - 4th century B.C., Etruscan bronze figures included warriors, gods, and goddesses. In Egypte, the vast pantheon of Egyptian gods and goddesses were cast by the "lost wax" process. Greek and Roman vessels and bronze figures range from artistic masterpieces to utilitarian ware. Smaller bronze artifacts are also collectible - clothing ornaments, arrowheads, swords, daggers, buckles, fibulas, hair ornaments, and amulets.

Lead was used only sparingly, but was used in Greco-Roman times for weights, seal impressions, and sling bullets.

Iron was used from the 12th century B.C., primarily for weapons and tools. Due to rust, other than arrowheads and spear points, few ancient iron artifacts survive in attractive collectible condition.

Hellenistic - Roman Egypt, Bronze Dwarf Acrobat, c. 1st Century B.C. - 1st Century A.D.

|Figures| |&| |Statues|, |Hellenistic| |-| |Roman| |Egypt,| |Bronze| |Dwarf| |Acrobat,| |c.| |1st| |Century| |B.C.| |-| |1st| |Century| |A.D.|
 
AA99522. Bronze figurine of a bald and naked grotesque athletic dwarf in a rotating movement, exaggerated genitals misplaced at the back side, 7.5 cm tall (10.5 cm with included custom stand), green patina, legs broken, devices once possibly held in both hands now missing, c. 1st century B.C. - 1st century A.D.; ex Gorny & Mosch auction 260 (18 Dec 2018), lot 118; ex D.W. Collection, purchased in Munich c. 1980; very rare; $1800.00 SALE PRICE $1620.00
 


Roman, Bronze Krater Handle Ornamented with Lions, c. 1st - 3rd Century A.D.

|Metal| |Antiquities|, |Roman,| |Bronze| |Krater| |Handle| |Ornamented| |with| |Lions,| |c.| |1st| |-| |3rd| |Century| |A.D.|
Click here to see the line drawing of Catalogue des bronzes antiques de la Bibliothèque National no. 1446, a nearly identical handle in the Bibliothèque nationale de France published in 1895.
AM23903. Roman bronze krater handle; cf. BnF Bronzes 1446, Superb, about as made with the addition of an an attractive green patina, c. 1st - 3rd Century A.D.; 12 cm (4 7/8") tall, on the upper part, which would have been attached atop the rim of the vessel: a lion's head faces inward, its back arching above, between two lions lying in opposite directions, on the lower part: acanthus and scrolls between two snakes with heads upward, ex Griffin Gallery of Ancient Art (Boca Raton FL); $1600.00 SALE PRICE $1440.00
 


Phoenician, Bronze Trapezoid Cube Weight (Ayin - 21.595g), c. 7th - 4th Century B.C.

|Weights| |&| |Scales|, |Phoenician,| |Bronze| |Trapezoid| |Cube| |Weight| |(Ayin| |-| |21.595g),| |c.| |7th| |-| |4th| |Century| |B.C.|
This weight is the usual shape for the type, an inverted truncated pyramid - a cube with the bottom slightly smaller than the top. The type dates from perhaps as early as the the 9th century B.C. to the end of the Persian period. They were undoubtedly used to weigh silver bullion for transactions. Kletter lists nine weights with circle marks, ranging from 2.55g to 80.67g. Some, like ours, were incised with straight lines or punches. Most were found at Akko.
AS111486. Phoenician, bronze trapezoid cube weight; cf. Hendin Weights 245 (21.63), Kletter 2000 25 (21.17g), Hecht A 47 (20.03g), Choice, 21.595g (3 shekels?), 14.3x16.6x12.9mm, c. 7th - 4th Century B.C.; inverted truncated pyramid (a cube with the bottom slightly smaller than the top), incised circle (Phoenician ayin) on top created with a 8 short straight line cuts, ex Shick Coins (Max Shick, Israel, 2012); $570.00 SALE PRICE $513.00
 


Roman Empire, Gnostic Magic Lead Amulet, c. 3rd - 4th century A.D.

|Roman| |Tesserae|, |Roman| |Empire,| |Gnostic| |Magic| |Lead| |Amulet,| |c.| |3rd| |-| |4th| |century| |A.D.||amulet|NEW
Gnosticism is a collection of religious ideas and systems that coalesced in the late 1st century A.D. among Jewish and early Christian sects. These various groups emphasized personal spiritual knowledge above the teachings, traditions, and authority of religious institutions. According to Gnosticism, Abraxas was the God beyond all Gods, the being who created the world, and identified with the god of the Old Testament. The snake-legged deity on our amulet is almost certainly related to the anguiped found on many similar lead pieces inscribed with the names Iao Abraxas (the first being a Greek vocalization of the Tetragrammaton (i.e. YHWH or Yahweh). The god's head, however, appears rather human-like, unlike the usual depictions of Abrasax with a cock's head. A worn mold could be a possible explanation for this among others. Gert Boersema in his KOINON V (2022) paper, "Roman Lead 'Iao Abrasax' Amulets: Magical Pendants, Rings, and Beads," has this to say on the amulet's possible Gnostic links: "Early scholarship, with its heavy emphasis on Gnosticism, identified the Anguipede as a depiction of the Gnostic deity Abrasax, but this view is now generally abandoned, as there is no decisive proof that the name refers to the figure, and the connection to Gnosticism is unclear. Campbell Bonner, the pioneer of modern scholarship of magical gems, understood the figure primarily as a solar deity." Boersema's choice of spelling for Abrasax (instead of the presumably more modern Abraxas) stems from its lettering on the amulets as "ABPACAΞ."
AS113990. Lead amulet, cf. Boersema IAA 12 (2 spec., Anguipede holding whip and shield, no dots), aVF, thick gray-green patina, earthen deposits, mold chip at base of 'I' (giving appearance of an 'L'), missing suspension loop(?), weight 3.862 g, maximum diameter 19.8 mm, eastern workshop, c. 3rd - 4th century A.D.; obverse Anguipede (snake-legged god) facing with arms stretched, serpent legs flaring to either side, flanked at center by two dots (indistinct letters or symbols?), all within a thick linear border; reverse star inside crescent moon, IAW counterclockwise below, all within thick linear border; rare; $250.00 SALE PRICE $225.00
 


Byzantine, Lead Bulla Seal, c. 6th Century A.D.

|Byzantine| |Seals|, |Byzantine,| |Lead| |Bulla| |Seal,| |c.| |6th| |Century| |A.D.||seal|
Reading a block monogram of such complexity as on the present Byzantine seal can be maddening, like a quadratic or more complex polynomial equation whose solutions are all found to be reasonable. The inherent ambiguity of many block monograms may have been one reason why they fell out of favor during the seventh century A.D. Nevertheless, through patient study, some possible clues have been squeezed out of ours. The monogram may in fact combine a personal name with the office of a bishop (written in the genitive, EΠICKOΠOY, or "of the bishop") or perhaps even an archbishop (APXIEΠICKOΠOY). The person's name is a much trickier question with multiple possibilities, including Markou, Mariou, Marianou, Maurikiou, Eukarpiou, or even Kyprianou (all transliterated into English in genitive form). Another, less probable, possibility is an unidentified eparch (bishop of an eparchy or diocese).
BZ114045. Lead seal, cf. Zacos BLS 1208 (for very similar obv.); DOC BZS.1951.31.5.3062 (for similar seal with block monogram), Choice gVF, attractive, yellow oxide patina, weight 10.259 g, maximum diameter 22.1 mm, die axis 330o, c. 6th century A.D.; obverse facing bust of Virgin Hodeghetria, nimbate, wearing tunic and maphorion, holding infant Christ on her left arm/shoulder, nimbate, wearing tunic and himation, dove (i.e., the Holy Spirit) above, cross pattée behind; reverse complex block monogram, containing the letters A, Y, E (lunate), I, K, Π, Ο, P, C, and M and/or X, and possibly N; extremely rare; $200.00 SALE PRICE $180.00
 


Roman, Bronze Figural Chest Hasp (Herm), 1st - 4th Century A.D.

|Other| |Weapons| |&| |Tools|, |Roman,| |Bronze| |Figural| |Chest| |Hasp| |(Herm),| |1st| |-| |4th| |Century| |A.D.|
To learn about Roman padlocks, Roman chest locks, Roman door locks, and similar Roman chest hasps, see Donald| Jackson's Roman| Gallery| of Locks| Keys| & |Seals in NumisWiki.
AS111507. Bronze small chest hasp; cf. Jackson Roman Locks type 1, 5118, Collectible, missing hing loop at back of the top and lock bolt or bolt slot slot at the back of the base, 5.47 cm (2 1/8") long, crude figure in the form of a herm, incised hair and facial features, five punched annulets (Celtic circles) on chest, male genitalia at the midsection; ex The Time Machine (Mark E. Reid); $180.00 SALE PRICE $162.00
 


Mediterranean Region, Lead Shell Weight, 1/8 Libra (47.803g), c. 4th Century B.C. - 2nd Century A.D.

|Weights| |&| |Scales|, |Mediterranean| |Region,| |Lead| |Shell| |Weight,| |1/8| |Libra| |(47.803g),| |c.| |4th| |Century| |B.C.| |-| |2nd| |Century| |A.D.||weight|
Hendin lists several such shell-shaped weights. They are found throughout the Mediterranean Region.
AS112213. Lead weight, cf. Hendin Weights 276, Manns-Kloetzli p. 22, 37; Alvarez-Burgos P29, aVF, bumps, weight 24.009 g, maximum diameter 25.1 mm, 4th century B.C. - 2nd century A.D.; 1/8 Libra lead weight molded from bipod shell; $130.00 SALE PRICE $117.00
 


Byzantine, 2 Bronze Square Coin Weights, c. 300 - 900 A.D.

|Weights| |&| |Scales|, |Byzantine,| |2| |Bronze| |Square| |Coin| |Weights,| |c.| |300| |-| |900| |A.D.|
Based on weight, c. 1 gram each, these are 1 scripula weights. Both are labeled with N, believed to indicate Numisma. The expected weight for a numisma is, however, c. 4 grams. Weights like these are exceedingly common with great variation in their actual weight, but we remain perplexed by the conflict between the very low weight of these specimens and their markings.
AS43875. 2 Bronze Square Coin Weights, cf. Bendall 103 & 104, Collectible, green patina, each c. 1g, ex Ancient Treasures (Plamen Arsoff, Granada Hills, CA, 2011); $100.00 SALE PRICE $90.00
 


Chernyakhov Culture (in Ukraine), Four Bronze Rhomboid Head Fibulae, c. 100 - 375 A.D.

|Fibulas| |&| |Clothing|, |Chernyakhov| |Culture| |(in| |Ukraine),| |Four| |Bronze| |Rhomboid| |Head| |Fibulae,| |c.| |100| |-| |375| |A.D.|
These Chernyakhov Culture fibulae were found in Ukraine. They are likely women's fibulae. In Chernyakhov Culture burials, most men do not wear a fibula (they wore trousers), women are most often wearing two fibulae, one on each shoulder.

The Chernyakhov culture flourished between the 2nd and the late 4th century A.D. in a wide area of Eastern Europe, specifically in what is now Ukraine, Romania, Moldova and parts of Belarus. The culture is thought to be the result of a multiethnic cultural mix of the Geto-Dacian (including Romanised Daco-Romans), Sarmatian, and Gothic populations. The Chernyakhov culture ended with the arrival of the Huns. Without the hierarchical Gothic political structure, cultural homogeneity succumbed to the ethnic distinctions between the disparate peoples.
AS96443. Lot of 4 Chernyakhov Culture (in Ukraine) bronze rhomboid head fibulae, Choice, green patinas, each missing the pin (the iron pins are usually lost due to rust), 29.7mm - 39.2mm long, c. 100 - 375 A.D.; $70.00 SALE PRICE $63.00
 


Roman, Bronze Vessel Lid, c. 1st Century B.C. - 3rd Century A.D.

|Metal| |Antiquities|, |Roman,| |Bronze| |Vessel| || |Lid,| |c.| |1st| |Century| |B.C.| |-| |3rd| |Century| |A.D.|
This lid would have been attached to the vessel with a chain, as seen on Ceci's Piccoli bronzi del Museo Nazionale di Napoli (New York, 1858)., tav. 1, 13.
AM20847. Roman bronze vessel lid, 13.5 cm diameter, green patina, earthen deposits, parts of edge ragged, c. 1st Century B.C. - 3rd Century A.D.; $50.00 SALE PRICE $45.00
 




  



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REFERENCES

Amorai-Stark, S., and S. & M. Hershkovitz. Gemstones, Finger Rings, and Seal Boxes from Caesarea Maritima, The Hendler Collection. (Tel Aviv, 2016).
Babelon, E. & J. Blanchet. Catalogue des bronzes antiques de la Bibliotheque National. (Paris, 1895).
Baratte, F, et al. Vases antiques de metal au Muse´e de Chalon-sur-Saone. (Dijon, 1984).
Bartus, D. "Roman Figural Bronzes From Brigetio: Preliminary Notes" in Anodos, Studies of the Ancient World, 10/2010, pp. 17-27.
Ceci. C. Piccoli bronzi del Museo Nazionale di Napoli. (New York, 1858).
Comstock, M. & C. Vermeule. Greek, Etruscan, & Roman Bronzes in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Boston Museum of Fine Arts. (Boston, 1971).
Cornelius, I. The Iconography of the Canaanite Gods Reshef and Ba’al: Late Bronze and Iron Age I Periods (c 1500 – 1000 BCE). (Fribourg, 1994).
den Boesterd, M. Description of the Collections in the Rijksmuseum G.M. Kam at Nijmegen V, The Bronze Vessels. (1956).
Di Niro, A. (ed). Il Museo Sannitico di Campobasso, Catalogo della Collezione Provinciale. 2nd edition. (Pescara, 2007).
Edgar, C. Catalogue Général des Antiquités Egyptiennes du Musée de Caire, Greek Bronzes. (Cairo, 1904).
Koster, A. Description of the Collections in the Rijksmuseum G.M. Kam at Nijmegen XIII, The Bronze Vessels 2. (Gelderland, 1997).
Kozloff, A (ed.). Animals in Ancient Art from the Leo Mildenberg Collection. (Cleveland, 1981).
Kozloff, A (ed.). More animals in ancient art: From the Leo Mildenberg collection. (Mainz, 1986).
Lamb, W. Greek and Roman Bronzes. (London, 1929).
Hattatt, R. Ancient Brooches and Other Artifacts. (Oxford, 1989).
Hayes, J. Greek, Roman, and Related Metalware in the Royal Ontario Museum. (Toronto, 1984).
Mattusch, C. Classical Bronzes: The Art and Craft of Greek and Roman Statuary. (Ithica, NY, 1996).
Mattusch, C. Greek Bronze Statuary: From the Beginnings through the Fifth Century B.C. (Ithica, NY, 1989).
Maxwell-Hyslop, R. "Daggers and Swords in Western Asia: A Study from Prehistoric Times to 600 B.C." in Iraq, Vol. 8 (1946), pp. 1-65.
Mertens, J. Greek Bronzes in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. (New York, 1985).
Milovanivic, B. & N. Mrdjic. "Ring-Keys from Viminacium" in Journal of the Serbian Archaeological Society, Vol. 32. (Belgrade, 2016).
Milovanovic, B. & A. Raickovic Savic. "Seal Boxes From the Viminacium Site" in Institute of Archaeology, Belgrade, STARINAR LXIII (2013), pp. 219 - 236.
Negbi, O. Canaanite Gods in Metal: An Archaeological Study of Ancient Syro-Palestinian Figures During the Bronze Ages, circa 3100 to 1200 BCE. (Tel Aviv, 1976).
Petrie, F. Objects of Daily Use. (London, 1927).
Petrovszky, R. Studien zu römischen Bronze Gefassen mit Meister Stempeln. (Buch am Erlbach, 1993).
Radnóti, A. Die Römischen Bronzegefässe von Pannonien. (Leipzig, 1938).
Raev, B. "De Bronzegefässe der römischen Kaiserzeit in Thrakien und Mosien" in Bericht der Römisch-Germanischen Kommission, 58 (1977), pp. 607 - 642.
Richter, G. Greek, Etruscan and Roman Bronzes. (New York, 1915).
Ridder, A. Les Bronzes antiques du Louvre, I. Les Figurines. (Paris, 1913).
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Rolland, H. Bronzes Antiques de Haute Provence. (Paris, 1965).
Rolley, C. Greek Bronzes. (London, 1986).
Smith, C. Catalogue of Bronzes in the Collection of J. Pierpont Morgan. (Paris, 1913).
Tassinari, S. Il vasellame bronzeo di Pompei. (Rome, 1993).
Walters, H. Catalogue of the Bronzes, Greek, Roman, and Etruscan, in the British Museum. (London, 1899).
Warden, P. The Hilprecht Collection of Greek, Italic, and Roman Bronzes in the University of Pennsylvania Museum. (Philadelphia, 1997).

Most references for jewelry, fibulae, weapons, arrowheads, sling bullets, lamps, and weights are not listed above. For improved clarity they are listed on the shop pages dedicated specifically to those types of antiquities.

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