mount
- Museum number
- 2020,8006.1
- Description
-
Furniture mount in form of bust of Oceanus. The item comprises a flat rectangular strip of metal, holding a cylindrical sheath for an iron bolt or rod on the reverse and a large teardrop-shaped convex cast applique on the from in the form of a bust of the god Oceanus in high relief. The applque is hollow and appears to be brazed to the strip. The bust has heavy lidded eyes, opened wide with deep recesses for pupils that likely were originally set with glass or precious stones. The nose is broad and the mouth slot-like with a recess beneath. Superimposed seaweed fronds frame the god's face, the uppermost extending across the temples, eyes and cheeks. These overlap 'moustache' like fronds that frame the mouth. The hair rises in sinuous locks on which run parallel lines picking out individual strands. On either side of the temple there is a serpentine head turned inwards, the identification of which is unclear. The ears are cup-like and outurned with foliate edges; behind each ear a dolphin surfaces, swimming down towards the chin.
The strip to which the mask is attached carries an incised plant scroll. Miuch is obscured by the applique and iron corrosion product, but what can be seen is an ivy leaf (hedera) to the right side and the left a probable vine leaf. There are traces are what appears to be a white metal coating. The iron bolt or rod within the copper-alloy sheaf on the back of the strip has a square section and protuberance emerging from one of two openings in the mounting sleeve. It is unclear how this bolt/rod functioned, due to heavy iron corrosion.
Associated with this object is a bent metal plate (2020,8006.2).
- Production date
- 100-200
- Dimensions
-
Height: 90 millimetres (applique)
-
Length: 119.10 millimetres (strip)
-
Width: 73 millimetres (Applique)
- Location
- On display (G49/dc22)
- Acquisition date
- 23/12/2020
- Department
- Britain, Europe and Prehistory
- Registration number
- 2020,8006.1
- Additional IDs
-
Treasure/PAS number: SUR-77CBD4
