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Description: | Cast copper alloy spatula handle in the form of the goddess Minerva. The object is in a good state of preservation although the surface is rather worn obscuring some of tbe finer details. The face of minerva is particularly worn but the general mouldings clearly show that she was shown life-like, facing forward with curls of hair visible beneath the helmet along the forehead and down the back to level of the chin. Minerva wears a high Corinthian helmet with a large crest which has a flat back to it and tapering sides. Often this crest is shown supported on rods with a gap between.She is depicted draped, wearing the aegis, a protective garment covering her shoulders an upper body, and with an abraded Gorgon's mask on the chest. The mask is very worn and shown by a moulding of a central oval panel with a scroll-like terminal at either end. There are no arms to bust.The figure is set upon a triangular pedastel with a slot on the base to take the iron blade. The blade is missing.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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