MOUNT

A copper-alloy decorative mount dating to the Roman period. The mount comprises a thin square plate with damage to all four corners.

It is stamped with repoussé decoration comprising a central left-facing male bust, surrounded by four cupids on an otherwise plain background. The long, flowing hair of the bust, coupled with its pose gazing slightly upwards suggest that it may depict a hero or god. The features of the bust are also reminiscent of Flavian portraits.

The bottom left cupid is portrayed sitting in profile on a high-backed chair. It appears to be holding a statue of Victory within his arms. In front of the cupid are an anvil and possibly a coin die. The bottom right cupid is seated in a more frontal position on a ?stool or rock. The right arm is raised perhaps in a striking action and his left arm, which is markedly larger, appears to be turned towards the objects in front of him. It is not clear what these objects are and the lowest one may in fact be an extension of the bench or stool. Above the cupid is a square object with a rounded object on top; this might well be a block anvil. The two upper cupids are damaged; the top right cupid is seated frontally on the ground with the legs folded beneath him and his arms raised either side of his head. The top left cupid is shown in profile with his legs stretched out on the ground; part of the head and wing are still visible. The scene appears to depict metal-working cupids reminiscent of the fresco from the House of the Vettii in Pompeii (reference) The reverse shows the clear remains of a textile or leather that has been glued(?) to the edges of the object. This is now showing as a dark discolouration. In the top right and left corners of the plate are two very small perforations, presumably to aid attachment. The mount measures 56mm by 55mm and a thickness of 0.8mm. The mount weighs 4.7 grams.

No immediate parallels can be found, although box fittings from Bonn depicting gods, heroes and genii are rendered using a similar repoussé technique in copper-alloy (Menzel 1986, 190, no. 526a-d and Taf. 157). Copper-alloy sheeting from a casket with repoussé decoration depicting biblical scenes was recovered from the temple site at Uley (Henig 1993, ''Votive objects: images and inscriptions' 108-111; in: Woodward and Leach (eds.) The Uley Shrines. Excavation of a ritual complex in West Hill, Uley, Gloucestershire: 1977-79. In his discussion of the Uley example, Henig references casket sheeting from Intercisa and Bonn referencing Buschhausen (197) Die Spatromischen Metallscrinia und Fruhchristlichen Reliquiare 1 Teil: Katalog, Wiener Byzantinistische Studien 9, Vienna, 132-6, no. A 65, pls. 80-81 and 155-6, no. A83, pls. 94 and 95).