Attention: due to customs regulations we can only ship inside the European Union. Please ensure you have a valid EU shipping address before placing a bid. Ancient Roman bronze votive or miniature hand mirror frame with a long, tapering handle. The upper section supports a circular mirror disc set within a square frame decorated with openwork vegetal scrolls or vine tendrils. A central perforation in the disc probably relates to the original attachment method of the mirror plate. The leaf-shaped handle narrows towards a circular terminal setting. This setting retains a reddish-purple glass or stone inset and terminates in a small bud-shaped finial. The reverse preserves the structural elements by which the mirror disc and handle were joined. Length: 135,2 mm Condition: Good and solid condition. The bronze displays a dark brown and olive-green patina with areas of corrosion, mineral deposits and surface wear. Minor losses and signs of wear are visible around the delicate openwork frame. Certificate of Authenticity (PDF) is available upon request for all lots with a hammer price of €100 or higher. -> Small decorated mirrors are particularly well documented in the Roman provinces of the Danube and Black Sea regions. Their precise function remains debated: some may have been personal cosmetic objects, while others were deposited in sanctuaries or graves as votive, funerary or protective offerings. Vine-like ornament was widely used in Roman art and could evoke abundance, fertility and the world of Bacchus.