Roman Gilded Bronze Attachment - Bull's Head
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Description
**Originally Listed At $600**
Ancient Rome, Imperial Period, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE. A wonderful bull head comprised of copper and 4% gold, beautifully defined with bovine ears, large almond-shaped eyes, and a protruding snout as well as incised details - this visage integral with a hooded, hollow, tubular backing for attachment. The bull is one of the animals associated with the late Hellenistic and Roman cult of Mithras, in which the killing of the astral bull, the tauroctony, was of primary importance, virtually as significant as the Crucifixion was to the later Christians. A wonderful example with gorgeous green and rich russet patina. Size: 2.125" H (5.4 cm); 3.375" H (8.6 cm) on included custom stand.
The bull was considered a deeply divine animal throughout antiquity - a meaningful symbol of the moon, fertility, rebirth, and power. We find the earliest depictions of bulls in Paleolithic cave paintings. Moreover, the veneration of the bull would influence several religious cults in antiquity: from the Minoan practice of bull jumping in Crete, to the fervent worship of the Apis bull in Egypt, to the sacrificial practices of Roman Mithraism.
Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
We ship worldwide to most countries and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
#139667
Ancient Rome, Imperial Period, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE. A wonderful bull head comprised of copper and 4% gold, beautifully defined with bovine ears, large almond-shaped eyes, and a protruding snout as well as incised details - this visage integral with a hooded, hollow, tubular backing for attachment. The bull is one of the animals associated with the late Hellenistic and Roman cult of Mithras, in which the killing of the astral bull, the tauroctony, was of primary importance, virtually as significant as the Crucifixion was to the later Christians. A wonderful example with gorgeous green and rich russet patina. Size: 2.125" H (5.4 cm); 3.375" H (8.6 cm) on included custom stand.
The bull was considered a deeply divine animal throughout antiquity - a meaningful symbol of the moon, fertility, rebirth, and power. We find the earliest depictions of bulls in Paleolithic cave paintings. Moreover, the veneration of the bull would influence several religious cults in antiquity: from the Minoan practice of bull jumping in Crete, to the fervent worship of the Apis bull in Egypt, to the sacrificial practices of Roman Mithraism.
Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
We ship worldwide to most countries and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
#139667
Condition
Normal surface wear commensurate with age. Old nicks to periphery of opening at lower end. Rich russet and forest green patina.
Buyer's Premium
- 24.5%
Roman Gilded Bronze Attachment - Bull's Head
Estimate $600 - $900
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Item located in Louisville, CO, usSee Policy for Shipping
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