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Author Topic: Tetrarchic Period, Lead Seal, Facing Head / Reverse Flat, c. 300 A.D.  (Read 652 times)

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Offline Joe Sermarini

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Tetrarchic Period, lead seal, facing head of an uncertain tetrarchic ruler /  reverse flat, c. 300 A.D.
15.634g, 32mm long

The description is from the consignor. I don't know what this is, but I don't think it is a tetrarch.

I haven't even opened a book yet. I am just looking for the right direction. Anyone know or have an idea? Thanks.
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Offline Gert

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Re: Tetrarchic Period, Lead Seal, Facing Head / Reverse Flat, c. 300 A.D.
« Reply #1 on: October 04, 2021, 12:49:04 pm »
Certainly not a tetrarch, although I have no idea what it is. Seems a bit older than late 3rd century, doesn't it?

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Re: Tetrarchic Period, Lead Seal, Facing Head / Reverse Flat, c. 300 A.D.
« Reply #2 on: October 04, 2021, 01:35:01 pm »
After looking again, I believe the head might be intended to depict a "Nubian" and yes, older than late 3rd century.
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Offline Gert

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Re: Tetrarchic Period, Lead Seal, Facing Head / Reverse Flat, c. 300 A.D.
« Reply #3 on: October 05, 2021, 03:13:37 am »
I think you may well be right.
Gert

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Re: Tetrarchic Period, Lead Seal, Facing Head / Reverse Flat, c. 300 A.D.
« Reply #4 on: February 15, 2022, 07:14:04 pm »
OK, so this piece has been sitting on my desk for a very long time. Of course the consignor wants to sell it, but I do not know how to describe it or date it.  Any ideas will be greatly appreciated.

I am very sure the face is intended to be a Nubian (although according to the Met website, the Greeks called al black Africans Ethiopian, not Nubian).

It does not appear to have been on a cord, so it is not a bulla sealing. I think it must be either a tessera or a votive offering. Are there other tessera this shape? None that I know about.

Ideas? Thoughts? Anything?   
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Offline SC

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Re: Tetrarchic Period, Lead Seal, Facing Head / Reverse Flat, c. 300 A.D.
« Reply #5 on: February 16, 2022, 06:08:02 pm »
Hard to narrow down.

Small lead items date from the Republican period through to the late Roman.

I am no expert but I believe that the Ethiopian motif (and yes, the Romans used "Ethiopian" for the people living south of the Sahara from East Africa through to West Africa) is much more common in the principate than the late Roman period.

Most votive items that I have seen don't "waste" so much space. 

I wonder if it was a matrix for making things as part of a Bronze casting process?

I don't think it can be identified much more than Lead votive or matrix of Ethiopian head, likely from the Principate era.

But maybe you will luck into someone with more knowledge.

Nice piece.

SC
SC
(Shawn Caza, Ottawa)

Offline Gert

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Re: Tetrarchic Period, Lead Seal, Facing Head / Reverse Flat, c. 300 A.D.
« Reply #6 on: February 17, 2022, 09:10:16 am »
I have no idea what this could be. I do agree with the general dating of SC. Whenever I see something I have no good parallels for and no idea how to describe, I mostly use the term 'tessera' (I confess)...
Regards
Gert

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