Brooches were used as practical accessories to help keep cloaks, trousers and other pieces of clothing fastened. The accessories were status symbols with many brooches being made of expensive materials. The more elaborate the deign also indicated the status of the wearer. These kinds of zoomorphic brooches were commonly found in Roman providences with the inspiration coming from British styles. Stags were associated with stability and stamina. The animals were typically shown in hunting scenes. Within Celtic belief the stag was associated with the god Cernunnos, also known as the ‘Horned One’, who was the god of the forest and the wild.
Romano-British Bronze Stag Brooch
£ 350.00
A Romano-British bronze plate brooch in the form of a stag, shown in profile. The brooch features an elongated body, with the animal standing on three legs. The stag stands on a base, with a short stump to the front. Its tail is short and rounded, protruding from its curved rump. The stag’s head tapers down to its nose and mouth, whilst a pair of rounded, undulating antlers decorate its brow. The animal is decorated with incised rows of granulation on its head, antlers, down its back, across its body, and also along the base of the brooch. The reverse of the brooch is plain except for the original pin holder and catch. The pin is now missing.
Provenance: Ex Cambridge collection, acquired 1990s-2000s.
Condition: Very fine condition, with surface patination and encrustation in areas on the back. The pin is now missing.
SOLD
| Weight | 13.8 g |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | L 3.9 x W 0.7 x H 3.2 cm |
| Metal | Bronze |
| Region | Central Europe, North Europe, Western Europe |
Reference: For Similar: Christie’s Auction House, New York, Auction 9020, lot 176
