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Description: | Roman copper alloy anthropomorphic handle probably from a razor of early Roman date, c. 1st or 2nd century ADThe handle is comparatively slight and is near-complete, missing the loop and the iron blade is lost (with a surviving length of 42.5mm and a weight of 10.1g). At the apex of the handle is a damaged suspension loop, probably of rectangular section (4.9mm long, 2.4mm wide and with an internal diameter of 2.6mm). The loop sits towards the rear of a depiction of a human head. The head is the widest and deepest part of the handle (with a width of 9.5mm, a depth of 9.7mm and a length of 14.8mm). The rear of the head is flat and is undecorated and much of the finer details of the face are now corroded and lost. The hair is depicted as grooves between the sides and the brow. There is a discernible moulded ridge from the brow to the face. The ridge, which would have depicted the nose is evident and there are the suggestion of recessed areas, possibly bordered with grooves for the eyes. There is another ridge from the chin to the neck and two transverse grooves survive beneath the chin. The shaft of the handle is of moderately consistent near-circular section (6mm diameter) before expanding to the sub-rectangular base (7.8mm wide and 5.9mm wide). The shaft appears to have an inset iron pin (4.5mm below the chin), slightly off-centre and possibly a secondary addition. There is also the suggestion of a copper alloy circular feature of similar size below the iron pin (10mm below the chin). The base of the handle has adhering iron corrosion and there is a slot cut through the base (4mm deep and 2mm wide) to accommodate the missing iron blade. The surface has a dark-green patina and dark-green corrosion.The handle is interesting and difficult to parallel in the archaeological literature, it would seem probable that it might have been from a razor, although it comparatively small and delicate for razor. The relatively fine moulding observed on the surviving features and naturalistic style, may suggest an iron Roman date.
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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