Rights Holder: The Portable Antiquities Scheme
CC License:
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Unique ID: HESH-12CB03
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation
A cast copper alloy fragment of figurine or statuette of probable Roman date (50-400 AD). The fragment comprises the lower arm (forearm) wrist and hand of the left arm; the elbow is lost due to an old break which is patinated. The fragment is relatively poorly modelled, with the forearm being relatively thick and chunky, and the wrist and fingers being inelegant and crudely shaped. The wrist is slightly bent / flexed inward and the thumb is tucked against the forefinger. The fingers are outlined by V shaped furrows, which maybe cast and then augmented by carving / filing. The area between the thumb and forefinger is filled with a mid brown corrosion product (which is not magnetic and therefore not iron). The arm and wrist have distinct but slight facets on them again caused possibly by carving or filing. The arm is a mid greenish brown colour with a thick surface patina that is abraded in places. Where abrasion has occurred slight copper alloy corrosion is present. The break is patinated suggesting damage in antiquity. A direct parallel has not been found, there are a number of statuette or figurine arms of the database,. It is possible that this example is a deliberately broken votive figurine - or token model of an arm deliberately deposited as a religious offering.
The arm measures 55.2mm length, 11.9mm width and 11.6mm thick on the upper arm and 12.2mm wide and 10.8,mm thick across the hand. The arm weighs 30.84 grams
Two PAS examples can be see from
Hockwold, Norfolk (NMS-23F215)
http://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/136735
and
Stanway Gloucestershire (WAW-049C92)
Class: Forearm
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Broad period: ROMAN
Period from: ROMAN
Date from: Circa AD 50
Date to: Circa AD 400
Quantity: 1
Length: 55.2 mm
Width: 12.2 mm
Thickness: 11.6 mm
Weight: 30.84 g
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Other reference: SMS Entry Form: SHRMS: E.00302
Primary material: Copper alloy
Manufacture method: Cast
Completeness: Incomplete
Grid reference source: From finder
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.
No references cited so far.