SUR-410F87: Roman: Minerva spatula handle

Rights Holder: Berkshire Archaeology
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SPATULA

Unique ID: SUR-410F87

Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow status: Published

A handle of a cast copper alloy Roman spatula in the form of the helmeted head and bust of Minerva. The split terminal which would have held the iron blade of the spatula is broken on one side. The figure wears a Corinthian helmet with diagonally-cut notches on the crest. There is similar notching on the hair which emerges just below the helmet. The facial features are perfunctory with punched semi-circles for the eyes. At the front the tunic has a deep V-shaped neckline and a higher one on the back. Below the bust the handle attachment is decorated with a series of transverse grooves.

WILT-9ECD01 is an excellent parallel

Notes:

Over twenty examples of such figural spatula handles have been recorded on this database to date, many of these have been discussed by Worrell (2008, 356-357). Their style varies, as do those illustrated by Feugère (1985), attributable to different workshops copying the overall prototype.

Feugère, M, 1995, Les spatules a cire a manche figure, Worrell, S, 2003, More Minerva bust wax spatula handles(in) Lucerna Roman Finds Group Newsletter, vol 25. Crummy, N, 2002, Wax spatula handle from Yorkshire, (in) Lucerna Roman Finds Group Newsletter, vol 23.

Find of note status

This has been noted as an interesting find by the recorder.

Class: Feugère type A5

Subsequent actions

Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder

Chronology

Broad period: ROMAN
Period from: ROMAN
Period to: ROMAN
Date from: Circa AD 100
Date to: Circa AD 300

Dimensions and weight

Quantity: 1
Length: 54.25 mm
Width: 15.05 mm
Weight: 18.48 g

Personal details

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Other reference numbers

Other reference: B11.19

Materials and construction

Primary material: Copper alloy
Manufacture method: Cast
Completeness: Incomplete

Spatial metadata

Region: South East (European Region)
County or Unitary authority: Oxfordshire (County)
District: South Oxfordshire (District)
Parish or ward: Goring (Civil Parish)

Spatial coordinates

4 Figure: SU6182
Four figure Latitude: 51.533619
Four figure longitude: -1.121963
1:25K map: SU6182
1:10K map: SU68SW
Grid reference source: From finder
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 100 metre square.

Discovery metadata

Method of discovery: Metal detector
General landuse: Cultivated land

References cited

Author	Publication Year	Title	Publication Place	Publisher	Pages
Feugère, M.	1995	Les spatules à cire à manche figuré	Munich	Marie Leidorf
Worrell, S.	2003	More Minerva bust wax spatula handles
Worrell, S.	2008	II. Finds Reported under the Portable Antiquities Scheme	London	Society of Romano-British and Kindred Studies	356-357, fig. 10

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Timeline of associated dates

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Audit data

Recording Institution: SUR
Created: 13 years ago
Updated: 4 years ago

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