Romain antique argent Amulet - 20 mm (Sans prix de réserve)

“Ancient Roman Silver Protective Amulet with Granulated Decoration

Culture / Period: Ancient Roman
Date / Period: 1st-2nd century A.D.
Material: Silver
Dimensions: 20 mm
Condition: Good condition

No shipping outside the European 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 the European Union before placing a bid.

Provenance information:
Object Registration ID: 931

The current owner (S.N.J. S.) purchased the amulet from R.N. in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

The previous owner, R.N. of Rotterdam, did not provide a date for when the object entered his collection.

According to the previous owner, the object had previously formed part of a private collection in the Netherlands. The date and duration of this earlier ownership were not provided and remain unknown.

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

Background Information:
Small silver pendants and amulets formed part of the personal material culture of the Roman world. This example has a prominent suspension loop and applied decorative details, including rows and clusters of small granules. The loop indicates that it was intended to be suspended, most likely worn on the body or attached to another personal item. Its precise symbolic meaning or original contents, if any, cannot be established from the available information.

Amulets were worn by people from different levels of Roman society and could combine personal adornment with a protective function. Roman beliefs concerning health, good fortune and protection against harmful influences were expressed through a wide variety of pendants and amuletic objects, which could be carried close to the body in everyday life.

The use of silver and applied granulated decoration reflects specialised metalworking. Roman jewellers employed established techniques including casting, hammering, soldering and the application of small decorative elements to create compact but carefully finished personal objects. Jewellery and amulets circulated throughout the Empire through workshops, markets, military communities and extensive regional trade networks.

Dating to the 1st–2nd century A.D., this amulet belongs to the Early Roman Imperial period, an era of extensive movement of people and material culture across the Mediterranean and European provinces. As a small object designed to be personally worn or carried, it forms a tangible connection to Roman craftsmanship and to the intimate aspects of everyday life in the ancient world.”