Ancient Roman Bronze Lion figure - 29 mm

"Ancient Roman Bronze Lion Figure

Culture / Period: Ancient Roman
Date / Period: 1st–2nd century A.D.
Material: Bronze
Dimensions: 29 mm
Condition: Good condition

No shipping outside theopean Union. Due to complex export regulations concerning cultural goods, this item cannot be shipped outside the EU. Please ensure you have a delivery address within theopean Union before placing a bid.

Provenance information:
Object Registration ID: 972

The current owner (S.N.J. S.) purchased the lion figure from B.N. in Schiedam, The Netherlands.

The previous owner, B.N. from Schiedam, did not provide information concerning when the object entered his collection.

According to the previous owner, the object had previously been in a private collection in The Netherlands. The date on which it entered that collection is unknown.

No further information concerning the earlier ownership history of the object was available from the previous owner.

Background Information:
This small Roman bronze represents a stylised lion in profile, recognisable by its elongated body, prominent head and mane, and curved tail. Two perforated terminals extend beneath the body. These openings indicate that the figure was probably intended to be attached to, suspended from, or incorporated into a larger object rather than functioning as a free-standing statuette. Without its original archaeological context, its precise practical function cannot be determined.

Animal-shaped bronze fittings formed part of an established Roman metalworking tradition. Small cast bronzes were used on a wide variety of objects, including personal equipment, harness fittings, furniture, containers and other functional or decorative objects. They were normally cast and subsequently finished by hand, with incised details used to emphasise features such as the mane and body.

The lion was a powerful and widely understood image throughout the Roman world. Associated with strength, courage and protection, it appeared frequently in Roman sculpture, mosaics, military and funerary imagery, jewellery and decorative metalwork. Lions were also familiar through arena spectacles and were associated with several mythological and religious traditions. A specific symbolic or religious interpretation for this individual fitting, however, cannot be established from the surviving object alone.

Dating to the 1st–2nd century A.D., the piece belongs to the Roman Imperial period, when cast bronze fittings and decorative motifs circulated widely throughout Italy and the provinces. This compact lion figure illustrates how recognisable animal imagery was incorporated into practical objects and provides a tangible connection to the craftsmanship and visual culture of everyday life in the Roman world."