There have been several exciting antiquities related developments in the news over the past month, particularly in the field of Roman archaeology. Here is a roundup of some we found especially interesting (links open in a new tab or window). – * A great short video on one artifact from The British Museum’s multicultural Sicily exhibition… Read More Antiquities News Update
Our featured item of the week is a large and impressive example of a Late Roman to Early Byzantine barrel shaped glass bead, appearing black, decorated in both red and yellow trails. A set of four double trails of applied red divide the bead into a series of registers, each with a thick zig-zag trail… Read More A Large Late Roman Trail Decorated Barrel Shaped Glass Bead 4th-5th Century AD
This week we have selected a superb silver and glass buckle from Late Antiquity. This object was made at the moment in history when the Western European provinces of the Roman Empire were slipping further from centralised authority and becoming the de facto semi-barbarian kingdoms of the Franks, Visigoths, Saxons and others. Our object dates… Read More Our Object the the Week: A Merovingian Frankish Silver and Glass Buckle, Late 5th – 6th Century AD
Clio’s featured object this week is a very small and inexpensive bronze coin dating from Late Antiquity; specifically the reign of Theodosius I (sometimes referred to as Theodosius the Great). The coin is in remarkably good condition with very clear imagery and text. Before examining the context and significance of this coin, let’s review the… Read More Object of the Week: A Tiny but Superb Roman Bronze Coin of Theodosius I
This large and impressive textile, our Object of the Week, is a fragment from a Coptic Egyptian garment and features complex geometric and foliate designs. Thanks to exceptionally dry conditions, many types of artifacts made from perishable materials that would not survive elsewhere are common finds on Egyptian archaeological sites. Between the late 18th and… Read More This Week’s Featured Object: A Framed Coptic Egyptian Textile 5th – 7th Century AD
Many of the ancient oil lamps we offer at Clio Ancient Art are Byzantine, mainly from the Levant (what is now southern Turkey, Lebanon, Syria, Israel / Palestine). Unlike Roman hard fired ceramic red slip lamps of earlier centuries, Byzantine lamps tend to be made from low fired pottery and their designs often reflect early… Read More Object of the Week: A Superb Byzantine Pottery Oil Lamp
Our object of the week is an intact Roman glass toilet bottle, usually called an unguentarium. This name seems to be a 19th Century invention, based on the ancient Roman term “unguentarius,” a word used to describe sellers of perfumes. This type of glass vessel is believed to have been used for dispensing perfumed oils… Read More Object of the Week: A Roman Glass Unguentarium
Today we are launching a new feature, entitled “Clio’s Object of the Week.” In this feature we plan to highlight a single antiquity or ancient coin from our stock and explore the object in more detail than is normally permitted in our commercial listings. A link will be included for those interested in purchasing the… Read More Introducing a New Feature: Clio’s Object of the Week
The link below leads to an illustrated article from the Canadian Global News network on the unexpected discovery of a Praetorian Guard barracks in Rome, resulting from the ongoing upgrade to the City’s subway system (opens in a new window or tab). The ruins are impressive for the wall decorations and mosaic floors, and are… Read More Ruins of Praetorian Barracks Uncovered in Rome Subway Upgrade
Here are links to 2 different news articles about this recent spectacular accidental find. The unique context of the find may reveal much about the nature of monetary policy and / or military pay in the late Roman Empire in the west. BBC News article – http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-36172538 The Guardian article, with video – https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/apr/29/massive-haul-ancient-roman-coins-unearthed-spain
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