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Late Roman votive mirror

Price: on request
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Object number
AR2993
Object: Late Roman votive mirror

Material: Body made of lead, remains of the reflective surface made of glass with lead foil.

Period: Late Roman period,
3rd to 4th century AD.

Description:    Late Roman flat mirror used for votive or ritual purposes. The reflective surface is mounted centrally on a disc. The broad rim is decorated with a relief of dots and curves. A broad flat handle is attached, as well as two thin flat handles that loop to the broad handle. The overall handle shape reminds of branches or two arms. The broad handle is decorated by a relief of dots and curves, as well.

Dimensions: 82mm high, 47mm wide.

Condition: Almost fully preserved. Small pieces missing at the handle and the upper part of the disc. Fragments of the original glass and lead foil inlay are still present, which is exceedingly rare.

Provenance: Acquired by us in 2017 on the London art market. Previously in a British private collection that was built before 1980.

References: Cf. Saalburg-Jahrb. 9, 1939, p. 21 ff., plate 10,5.
Cf. Fremersdorf, die farblosen Gläser, p. 110, no. 246.
Very similar to another piece in our gallery with object ID AR1499, published in Johannesberger Arbeitsblätter, R. Scherb, Historische Spiegel und Spiegelglas (2017).

Literature: A good introduction into the typology of mirrors with further literature recommendations is given by G. Lloyd-Morgan in The Mirrors. Description of the Collections in the Rijksmuseum G.M. Kam at Nijmegen IX (1981).

Authenticity: We unconditionally guarantee the authenticity of every artefact, all items are subject to our lifetime return policy on authenticity.