VESSEL

A complete cast copper-alloy Roman zoomorphic mount, probably from the rim of a metal vessel. The solid-cast mount takes the form of a seated or swimming bird resembling a stylised duck. The body is teardrop-shaped in plan and of triangular section, with a central ridge extending longitudinally down the upper surface. The neck extends upwards from the wider end of the body, forming an angle of nearly 90 degrees. Like the body, the neck also has an angular appearance and tapers to a rounded, sub-oval head. The beak extends horizontally forward from the face, which has no clear features. Likewise, the tail extends horizontally from the rear of the bird and unlike other examples on the PAS database, the tail is pelta-shaped in plan. Below the bird's body, an irregularly facetted pedestal protrudes, which is sub-oval in cross-section. From the podium, a sub-rectangular base extends horizontally, terminating in a small wedge-shaped rivet, which is positioned centrally and projects downwards from beneath the pedestal base.

The zoomorphic mount measures 37 mm high, 25.9 mm maximum width (at body), 9.45 mm thick (at body); the head stands approxmately 12.4 mm high from the body, 12.8 mm wide and 6.7 mm thick. The mount weighs 12.8 grams.

A parallel for this mount was found in a Late Roman context in Colchester (Crummy 1983: 142/fig. 171, no. 4268). The general consensus is, however, that such mounts are 1st century in date and were produced mainly as decoration for the rims of metal vessels. Two similar mounts are PAS database number BH-291876 and WILT-D685E8, one of which mentions examples of duck-shaped mounts having been found on 1st century strainer bowls from Kingston Deverill, Wiltshire (WILT-92B052); Brandon, Suffolk and Santon, Norfolk. This example has been modeled quite carefully and with skill, unlike some of the more simple types recorded on the PAS database.