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Description: | Romano-British copper alloy sceptre terminal in the form of Mars.
The terminal is in the form of the head of Mars, which sits in a vertically ribbed 'neck' measuring circa 28mm in length and 12mm in diameter. The facial features are well defined and thoroughly Romano-British in execution. Mars is shown with a narrow triangular nose with a large pellet to either side representing the eyes. Both eyes are very worn and reveal the brassy interior of the otherwise well-patinated head. This wear may be due to recent rubbing since the eyes protrude from the head somewhat, but it may also suggest that the eyes were originally plated or coated with another material leading to them being better preserved today.
Mars has a mouth shown by a simple curved groove, giving him the appearance as if he is smiling. The ears are depicted by an oval moulding to either side. Mars is also beared, shown by a raised ribbed area. across the chin, cheeks and upper lip.
The hair is typically bowl-shaped and also ribbed. Curiously there is a crest at the top representing the typical helmet seen on other Mars figurines, however in this instance it sits directly onto the hair; no other parts of the helmet are visible.
The terminal has an incomplete iron core which has corroded through the copper alloy down various parts of the 'neck'. The core is circular in cross section, circa 9mm in diameter, and probably represents the surviving portion of a shank or staff.
There are numerous artefacts found in Lincolnshire that directly or indirectly represent Mars showing that he was a popular deity in this region. The Nettleham sceptre head is very similar to one found at Kirmington (Leahy, 1986: 388-91), and to a less-similar example from Wickenby, Lincolnshire recorded on the Portable Antiquities Scheme database as NLM-5FBEB7. These artefacts can be associated with two Mars sceptre heads recovered from the tomb of a Roman priest at Brough on Humber, East Yorkshire (Corder & Richmond 1938: 68-74).
The find was made on agricultural land to the east of an area where a probable Romano-British temple or sanctuary once stood. In 1961 workmen found a limestone plaque decorated with Romano-British motifs and bearing the inscription 'DEO MARTI RIGO/NEMETI ET NVMINI/BVS AVGVSTORVM/ Q NERAT PROXSI/MVS ARCVM DE SVO/ DONAVIT', meaning 'To the god Mars, King of the Grove, and the divine spirits of the emperors, Quintus Neratius Proximus dedicated this arch at his own expense' (LAASRP, IX, pt ii, 1962, pp. 94-7).
The Nettleham Mars figure compliments the inscription not only in proximity but also in its blend of Roman and British art styles. It is quite possible that the sceptre head was once part of the priestly regalia associated with the temple.
The finds may also be associated with the site of a Roman villa located to the east of the probable sceptre-head findspot. Excavations at the villa site have produced high-status finds such as painted wall plaster and box flue tiles, and it is possible given its proximity to Lincoln and the inscription that this was the rural residence of Quintus Neratius Proximus himself. | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Creator: | Daubney, Adam - Portable Antiquities Scheme | Identifier: | http://www.findsdatabase.org.uk/hms/pas_... | Language: | en-GB | Go to resource |
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