STATUE

Two fragments of a copper-alloy statue of Roman date, c.AD 43 - 410.

The largest fragment is sub-ovate with a rounded projection to one side. It is decorated with moulded recesses on one surface giving the impression of flowing hair. The reverse is flat and smooth. The metal has a light/mid-green patina. The fragment is 59.3mm long, 36.9mm wide, 5.9mm thick and weighs 42.2g.

The smaller fragment is crescentic with a U-shaped section. The metal has a light/mid-green patina. The fragment is 36.5mm long, 14.9mm wide, 6.2mm thick and weighs 16.1g.

Numerous other fragments, presumably from the same statue, have been recorded as YORYM-C5E41D, YORYM-F46085, YORYM-DE4D53, YORYM-5053ED, YORYM-0C57F7, YORYM-0C7ADC and YORYM-0C8EDA.

The fragments recorded as YORYM-F46085 and YORYM-5053ED were assessed by Kosmas Dafas of Kings College, London who states that "it is not certain whether we are dealing with an exclusively personalised/individualised portrait of an emperor (?) or an idealised work also bearing certain naturalistic/realistic features".

YORYM-DE4D53 and YORYM-5053ED were subjected to pXRF Analysis by Matt Phelps of University College London through which it was determined that the zinc content is very low and does not seem to have been deliberately added (although they could well be recycled metals where repeated re-meltings have evaporated the zinc). The tin content is at 10% and a large amount of lead is included in the alloy at around 18% lead. Phelps surmises that this statue is stylistically Roman which matches the use of zinc which was a technology brought to Britain by the Romans.