Roman Metalwork: Ram-head handle

Inv. No.: 82.016
Provenance: Roman
Date: 3rd-1st century BC
Length: 146mm
Width: 52 mm (head); 62 mm (base)
 
A horizontal vessel handle with a short stem that is oval in cross section, ending in a ram head terminal. The ram head has moulded curling horns while incised and punched lines indicate the eyes and suggest the texture of the wool. Moulded double rings separate the head from the handle stem, which is decorated with an abstract pattern of incised and punched lines on its upper surface. A moulded ridge separates the stem from the upper attachment plate, which is a semi-circular extension with the same diameter as the handle stem (c. 33 mm). The separate lower attachment plate is much larger. It continues the lower surface of the handle stem for about 17 mm, expanding gently and curving slightly down. It then turns down more abruptly and expands to form a roughly rectangular plaque with rounded sides. The bottom edge is formed into three slight curves with a short, triangular extension framing each side of the inner curve. There are two large circular holes (135 mm in diameter) for rivets in the lower plate, used to attach the handle to a low, horizontal vessel. There is a fine, dark green patina. Holes or cracks have formed in the areas where the bronze is thin. There is a small hole towards the rear of the end of the left horn, and a fine crack along the line where the right horn meets the side of the head. This continues down to the edge of the moulded ring at the base of the head. There is a large, gaping crack between the pair of moulded rings on the lower surface of the handle.

Function:
A decorative vessel handle of a type that was common in the Hellenistic period, probably from a patera that was used for pouring libations in religious ceremonies.

Manufacture:
Hollow cast using a mould with incised and punched decoration done by hand.

Decoration:

1. The eyes on the ram head are represented by curved incised lines that form an oval shape without however joining at the ends. A dot indicates the pupil. A longer curved line suggests an eyebrow above each eye.
2. The texture of the wool on the ram head is indicated by continuous lines that run down the centre of the top of the muzzle, wavy lines between and behind the horns on the top of the head and elsewhere by short lines. These are oblique above the eyebrows and arranged in straight lines on the lower surface of the muzzle.
3. The moulded horns are decorated with incised oblique lines running in different directions on each curve of the horns.
4. The moulded double rings at the base of the head are decorated with short horizontal lines. The ridge at the base of the top surface of the handle stem has similar decoration.
5. Short, oblique lines run in a band along each side of the handle stem while its top is decorated with a rectangle into which is set an isosceles triangle whose base is one of the long sides of the rectangle (the right side). The lines marking out the rectangle are formed from punched dots while the sides of the triangle are marked out by double incised lines plus an inner dotted line. Horizontal dotted lines fill in the centre of the triangle while oblique dotted lines fill in the space between the sides of the triangle and the sides and upper edge of the rectangle.

Bibliography:
Antiquities, Christie catalogue, Thursday 6 May 1982, part of Lot No. 167.

Brown, D., "Bronze and Pewter", Roman Crafts, eds, D. Strong and D. Brown, New York, New York University Press, 1976, 25-41.

Comparanda:
Brown, D., "Bronze and Pewter", Roman Crafts, eds, D. Strong and D. Brown, New York, New York University Press, 1976, Fig. 31 (pan handle with more naturalistic ram head terminal).

Comstock, M. and C. Vermeule, Greek, Etruscan & Roman Bronzes in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Greenwich, Connecticut, New York Graphic Society, 1971, No. 452 (lead and bronze patera handle with wolf head terminal; Hellenistic period).

Nicholls, R. V., "The Trinity College Collection and other Recent Loans at the Fitzwilliam Museum", Archaeological Reports for 1970-7 , No. 17 (1971), Fig. 12 (patera handle with naturalistic ram head terminal; Roman, c. 1st century AD?).

Rediscovering Pompeii, exhibition catalogue, fourth edition, Roma, "Lrma" di Bretschneider, 1992, No. 93 (patera with ram head handle; late 1st century BC-1st century AD).