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Description: | Cast copper-alloy handle from a wax spatula, in the shape of the goddess Minerva. It is worn but in good condition and measures 54.8mm in total length, 14.1mm in width at the widest point across the shoulders and 16.5mm thick at the thickest point across the helmet. The head is rounded whilst the body and the slot are flat, apart from the decoration on the breast. The head has a helmet with large crest, a raised oval on each side, and a roll of hair beneath. The face has a worn nose and the eyes and mouth are just visible. There are no arms, and there are two V-shaped grooves on the chest, with a raised heart-shaped part within them. The back has three V shaped grooves across it. Just above the waist of the figure are transverse ridges and grooves, which are present on both the front and back.Below this the handle flares out and there are two transverse grooves on both the front and back. A transverse slot runs up the middle from the base, and in this the iron spatula blade would originally have been fixed, a small fragment of corroded iron can be seen. There is no trace of any rivet, solder or other fixing mechanism. Nina Crummy has produced a catalogue and discussion of wax spatula handles in the form of Minerva (Feugere type A5). They are believed to date from the 2nd and early 3rd centuries. The spatulas were used for smoothing down large areas of wax on writing tablets. Minerva was the goddess of wisdom and learning, so is appropriate for such an object, but Crummy also points out that when detached the handle functions perfectly well as a simple figurine of Minerva. As she was also a goddess of healing, it may then have been used as an amulet or votive offering (Crummy 2002, 6-8).
Original Image | Publisher: | http://finds.org.uk | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Identifier: | http://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/r... | Go to resource |
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