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Description: | Two of three tiers of an elaborate Roman stand, interpreted as a votive model altar. The two stands are shaped like small tables with a large central, circular hole and small circular holes in each corner to secure the legs of the upper tier. Each corner also has a knopped projection, on the angle of each tier. The sides of each piece are decorated with elaborate turquoise and green enamelled decoration on the outer faces. The two tiers are in good condition, although the bottom tier does have a large crack down one side. The dimensions of the lower tier are 32mm x 32mm x 30mm. The dimensions of the upper tier are 24 x 22 x 31 mm. When the upper tier is placed on top of the other the altar measures around 58 mm high. The artefact is very similar to an example illustrated in Wilson 'CATARACTONIUM' (2002, page 69; figure 243), with almost identical decoration. The Wilson example is also missing its top tier, but in an illustrative reconstruction it measures 96mm in height. Such objects are associated with temples and many of the known examples have been found on fort sites. There have been suggestions that such artefacts were used to support candles (De La Bedoyere 'The Finds of Roman Britain' 1989, page 163) or incense (Mills 'Celtic and Roman Artefacts' 2000, page 146). An example from Brigstock, also in Northamptonshire, (discovered in an excavation in 1963, and illustrated in Greenfield 'The Romano-British Shrines at Brigstock, Northants' (1963, 228-263)), is dated to the late 3rd to 4th century AD and this artefact can probably also be attributed to this date. | Subjects: | Altar or stand | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Creator: | Brindle, Tom - Portable Antiquities Scheme | Identifier: | http://www.findsdatabase.org.uk/hms/pas_... | Language: | en-GB | Go to resource |
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