Rights Holder: Suffolk County Council
CC License:
Our images can be used under a CC BY attribution licence (unless stated otherwise).
Unique ID: SF-560E0C
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Published
An incomplete copper-alloy Roman miniature stand, dating to AD 43-410. It is one incomplete leg of the stand joint with fragmentary parts of two sides. Where the leg breaks it has an oval cross-section and it bends slightly inward just before extending in two sides forming the laterl panels of the stand, now incomplete and worn. The outer face of the surviving sides are bordered by a narrow raised band enclosing an unclear sunken motif which bears traces of coloured enamel. The top face of the stand, which my have been flat with a circular opening at its centre, has traces of a circular hole at the surviving corner probably for stacking arrangement of other stands. The top edge has a overhanging lip, and a small pellet rising at the extreme corner The inner faces of the stand are unworked and undecorated.
Stands of this type have been interpreted as miniature tables, stools, or even miniature altars. Some examples have four holes on the upper surface where the next level was meant to be added. They have been found in temples (e.g. Bigstock), but also in military sites. An example from Silchester was found in association with a miniature pot, and suggests that the stands may have been used as supports for tiny vessels, but this does not explain the stacking. Another explanation is suggested by Butcher that the stands were used to hold candles (Butcher, 1977, pp. 49-50). The different levels of a stand could be removed as the candle burned down, either to measure time or to mark the different stages of a ritual. (Kiernan, 2009, pp. 173-175).
Cf. examples on the PAs database: SWYOR-C78757, SF4427, SF-177275, NARC-E42213.
Length: 14.69 mm
Width: 7.82 mm
Height: 25.28 mm
Thickness of the side: 2.10 mm
Weight: 2.61 g
Class: stand
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Broad period: ROMAN
Period from: ROMAN
Period to: ROMAN
Date from: Circa AD 43
Date to: Circa AD 410
Quantity: 1
Length: 14.69 mm
Height: 25.28 mm
Width: 7.82 mm
Thickness: 2.1 mm
Weight: 2.61 g
Date(s) of discovery: Friday 17th June 2016
This information is restricted for your access level.
SMR reference number: RLM 081
Other reference: Finder reference SS15 226
Primary material: Copper alloy
Secondary material: Copper alloy
Manufacture method: Cast
Decoration style: Openwork
Completeness: Incomplete
Grid reference source: GPS (from the finder)
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.
No references cited so far.