Casgliadau Arlein

Handle of a wide, round bowl with escutcheons shaped as gryphons' heads. Only one head remains; cast, but with detail of head produced by filing. To the outside of the handle three incised lines diverge towards three central collars; trace of solder is preserved at the escutcheon. The complete handle would be omega shaped. 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 gryphon head and 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. A similar Usk piece, accession number 82.10H, with a snake's head 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.