Roman Bronze Bifacial Padlock

$442.30

A finely cast Ancient Roman bronze padlock featuring a hinged lid in the shape of a double-headed male figure. Each face appears engraved in a stylised manner, with wide-open eyes and typical hairstyle. Earthy encrustation and some corrosion cover the surface, preventing the padlock to open.

Date: Circa 1st - 2nd century AD
Condition: Fine with nice dark-green patina.

SOLD

SKU: FP-215 Category: Tag:

Figural padlocks, such as this beautiful example, are interesting items of Roman everyday life, displaying the great skills in working bronze of Roman craftsmanship. Padlocks of this type are believed to have originated from North-East Italy, and then spread to other areas such as Britannia and Germania. The moulded bronze male faces used to decorate figural padlocks were usually stereotyped, following the same features such as straight hair, usually combed straight down and worn in bangs.

Weight 57.5 g
Dimensions H 4 cm
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