Bronze handle in the shape of a bird
Roman, about AD 1-100
Found in Hampshire, southern England
An unusual find close to the Winchester hoard
This bronze bird head was once part of a shallow metal bowl with
two handles. It was attached to the top of the bowl and held one of
the handles. In form it is similar to the head of a duck, goose or
swan. The eyes of the bird are silver niello. This bird was
probably made in Roman Italy or another part of the Roman world
some time in the first century AD. It is very like the birds that
decorated the handles of bowls found in the ruins of Pompeii, which
was destroyed in a natural disaster in AD 79.
But this bird was not found in Italy. It was found in a field in
southern England, only a few hundred metres from where a hoard of
gold Iron Age jewellery was found. Few other Roman vessels of this
quality have been found in Britain. Unfortunately, the other parts
of the urn have not been found. The urn might have come to Britain
in the Iron Age, or soon after the Roman Conquest. This beautiful
little bird is one of several Iron Age and Roman discoveries from
area where the Winchester hoard was found. Together they tell us
that important people were living in this area 2000 years ago.
T.W. Potter, Roman Britain, 2nd edition (London, The British Museum Press, 1997)