Italic Metalwork: Bronze double spiral ("spectacle") pendant

Inv. No.: 86.001
Provenance: Italy (Italic)
Date: 8th-6th century BC
Height: 44mm
Width: 75mm
 
Gift of an anonymous donor.

An ornament made from a single length of bronze wire (round in cross section), coiled tightly from each end, forming two flat spirals (each consisting of ten turns) joined by a loop of wire. The latter forms a hanger or attachment point for the piece. This "spectacle" type of ornament is used for fibulae as well and probably originated in central and north-eastern Europe. This piece is very dark in colour with some small areas of green patina. The wire forming the outer turn of one spiral is slightly damaged and it is bent and twisted away from the main spiral shape.

Function:
Used for personal adornment, perhaps hanging from a fibula, or it could have been used to decorate a bronze vessel such as a situla.

Manufacture:
Made by coiling and bending bronze wire.

Bibliography:
Alexander, J., "The Spectacle Fibulae of Southern Europe", American Journal of Archaeology, 69 (1965), 7-23.

Hattatt, R., Ancient and Romano-British Brooches, Sherborne, Dorset Publishing Company, 1982, 182-184 ("Greek Spectacle brooches").

Comparanda:
Eles Masi, P. von, Le fibule delltalia settentrionale, Prähistorische Bronzefund, Abteilung XIV, Band 5, München, C. H. Beck, 1986, Tavole 24, 397 A and B; 25, 401; 26, 405 Rebbio; 27, 406 Golasecca; 63, 861; 73, 966; and 84, 1043 (all fibulae with similar pendants attached).

Phillips, C., Jewelry: From Antiquity to the Present, London, Thames and Hudson, 1996, Fig. 18 (similar shape made from gold; c. 1000 BC, found in Hungary).

Mitten, D. G. and S.F. Doeringer, Master Bronzes from the Classical World, Mainz on Rhine, Philipp von Zabern, 1967, No. 157 (similar pendants decorating a Villanovan situla; 8th-7th century BC).

Randall-MacIver, D., The Iron Age in Italy: A Study of those Aspects of the Early Civlization which are Neither Villanovan nor Etruscan, Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1927, Pl. 7, 9 (fibula with ring and chains supporting similar pendants; Benvenuti Tomb); Pl. 18, 11 and12 (necklace and fibula with similar pendants; from Como). The Benevenuti Tomb fibula is also illustrated in J. Reich, Italy Before Rome, Oxford, Elsevier-Phaidon, 1979, Fig. 3, p. 73 where it is dated to c. 575 BC.

Ridgway, F. R., "The Este and Golasecca Cultures: A Chronological Guide", Italy Before the Romans: The Iron Age, Orientalizing and Etruscan Periods, eds. D. and F. R. Ridgway, London, Academic Press, 1979, Figs. 13, 7 and 32, 4 (similar pendants).