Roman, 100 to 200 CE. This strigil blade forms a curving 90 degree angle and has finely-wrought decorations on one side suggesting a spear or some other kind of blade. It comes with a custom stand. In ancient Rome, strigils were used for bathing, especially by men who engaged in physical activity. They are strongly associated with athletes. The men (often with the help of their slaves), would coat their bodies in oil and then some abrasive substance like sand or ground pumice; the strigil was used for scraping off this coating. There were different sized strigils for different parts of the body and they are sometimes found in a set attached to a ring. Includes custom stand.Includes custom stand.

Size: strigil itself measures 5" x 4" x 1/2"; 7 1/2"x 3-1/2" x 1-1/4" including stand.

Provenance: Ex-private New York, New York collection; ex-private Wagner collection, Cape Cod, MA, acquired in 1960\'s.

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#109059

Intact strigil blade without handle (the handle would most likely have been a separate piece of bronze and there is no evidence for it having broken off, although there is some wear to one end where it may have been attached). Fully covered in green patina.