Casgliadau Arlein

Part of an omega shaped handle from a bowl. Handles of this type were soldered into position on the body of the bowl below the rim. Only the escutcheon from the base of one side of the handle and the stump of the handle itself remain. The escutcheon is of curvinlinear form and terminates in a crudely rendered snake's head with large eyes and zig zag markings on the head and a V-shpaed marking on the neck. Zoomorphic terminals to handles such as these are not uncommon. Boesterd (1956, 52, No. 172, pl. VIII) dates handles of this type mainly to the first century AD with, perhaps, some overlap into the second century. The Usk piece is pre Flavian in use and deposition. Also cf. Nijmegen handle in Mutz, A., 1972. Die Kunst des Metalldrehens bei den Romern. Birkhause Verlag, Basel and Stuttgart. See also, Down, A., 1989. Chichester Excavations VI, fig.27.4, No. 58, (604) A59. And see Eggers, H. J., 1966. Romische Bronzegefasse in Britannien. Jarbuch Romisch - Germ Zentralmus Hainz, 67-164, No. 99. A good example of the type, with one complete gryphon terminal, was recovered from the Caerleon British Telecom excavation: Accession Number 88.3H/3.44; CBT 138/353 SF 745, 87.3660.