I have not created any entries on this blog since August 2020, and with good reason. Nearly two years ago, I quietly terminated my antiquities business, Clio Ancient Art, bringing to an end twelve satisfying and enjoyable years of involvement in the trade. I’ve since permanently shut down Clio’s pages on various online selling platforms.… Read More Archiving This Blog
As many of our regular readers know, I started a “sister blog” a few months ago, dealing with my exploration of the intersection of art from the past and art from the present, and specifically how this impacts my own work as an artist. As so much of my work is impacted by art from… Read More Articles of interest from our sister blog
This week’s featured object is a small bronze coin of the Roman Emperor Constantius II. That may not be a name that jumps out from the pages of history the way Roman Emperors like Augustus, Nero or Hadrian do but in his own way Constantius II was a remarkable ruler. Born in what is now… Read More This Week’s Featured Item: A Small Coin with a Big Story
One group of artifacts making up a large proportion of small bronze objects available on the legitimate antiquities market is the fibula or brooch —Â an ornate pin, usually made of copper alloy but sometimes of precious metals or even iron, used to fasten and decorate clothing. Prior to the use of buttons becoming common… Read More Object of the Week: A Superb Roman Bronze Brooch
Recent news reports out of the City of Paphos, Cyprus describe a clash between the Mayor of Paphos on the one hand and the Cyprus antiquities department and its local Museum in Paphos on the other, with official pronouncements, competing press conferences and plenty of mudslinging. The Mayor indirectly accuses staff at the Museum and… Read More Bizarre antiquities-related political feud erupts on Cyprus
A new post on the Staffordshire Hoard website has announced completion of the cleaning and conservation project. With many tiny fragments emerging from the soil during this process, the total number of pieces is now about 4,000. Several pieces have been reconstructed from these fragments, with surprising results. The research phase is continuing and a… Read More Staffordshire Hoard Conservation Programme Completed
Roman chariot race mosaic revealed in Cyprus, best collection of pics and a video from the “incyprus” news site (opens in a new tab or page) – http://in-cyprus.com/unique-akaki-ancient-mosaic-revealed-pictures
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
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
Clio Ancient Art & Antiquities 
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