lamp;
lamp-ornament
- Museum number
- 1926,0930.54
- Description
-
Handle ornament broken from a terracotta lamp: this fragmentary triangular handle-ornament from a lamp shows a warship with a triple ram at the prow, a centaur figurehead, and a bank of oars. A decorative gunwale is adorned with a crested helmet and a circular shield. On deck are soldiers, helmeted, with swords and oval 'Celtic' shields. Behind them rise either groups of spears or shrouds of the ship's rigging, between which is a military standard. The centaur is shown as about to throw a rock and this may refer to the menacing centaurs on the prows of Antony's ships at Actium. The left side and the top are missing. Buff clay, some mica, covered with a brown slip.
- Production date
- 10BC-50
- Dimensions
-
Length: 6.40 centimetres
-
Width: 7.70 centimetres
- Curator's comments
- This may commemmorate Octavian's victory over Mark Antony and Cleopatra VII of Egypt at the Battle of Actium in 31BC. Possibly Italian, more probably Egyptian, fabric.
- Location
- On display (G70/dc13)
- Acquisition date
- 1883
- Acquisition notes
- Collection re-registered upon transfer.
- Department
- Greek and Roman
- Registration number
- 1926,0930.54
- Additional IDs
-
Miscellaneous number: EA 12528