Roman or Grand Tour?

[avalon]

A friend of mine dug this bust up on a Roman site a few years ago, where he has found a number of coins and brooches. He’s taken it to a museum, but they were uncertain of age and said it could  be from the Grand Tour 18th Century. Make’s you wonder why someone would bury a bronze bust in a field in the 18th Century, for someone to dig up 200 years later. The site is not a known settlement, and if the bust is more modern it must be worth several hundred pounds, seems pointless throwing it away.

We still think it is genuine and there must be someway of testing the bronze for age. Looking at the patina and verdigris I would have said it was Roman, but time will tell.

[Stred (Steve)]

Wow! If I found that I would be more than happy but at the same time confused as to why it was buried.
Had it been stolen or something

[avalon]

Here are some more pictures of it.

[Stred (Steve)]

That's a beauty, thanks for posting, Avalon.

[Neil]

I bet the old heart was thumping as that came up. Lovely find regardless of which period it came from. Be great if it was Roman though.

Surely there must be a way to date Bronze, similar to the way they carbon date. And don't call me Shirley!

As you said if it is Georgian then why dump it in a field? Nnless perhaps the field was part of a manor house grounds, when it could have been used as a garden ornament, it makes no sense.


Cheers
Neil

[Chef Geoff]

If it was from the Grand Tour it could and probably still is authentic, many antiquities both Roman and Greek found their way back to Britain during the Regency Period.

[The Doc]

Fantastic!

Museums can test bronze using  an X-ray spectrometer which determines the composition of the alloy. They have this available in Cardiff I know. Ancient bronze has different proportions of the constituent metals, so although I don't believe it is diagnostic, it can give a strong indication of the likely age of a copper-alloy artefact.

[Neil]

It reminds me of Commodus - which coincidentally was also my second ever Roman coin. the image of the marble bust I have attached is not too far of the mark.

Would love to know who it is and the date.

Neil

[Napoleon]

wow  thats a supeb find , let us know about the date .

bravo.

Napoleon

[rjm]

It surprising how often the so called 'experts' are clueless 

It's a wonder they didn't get  the item analysed.

[avalon]

Fantastic!

Museums can test bronze using  an X-ray spectrometer which determines the composition of the alloy. They have this available in Cardiff I know. Ancient bronze has different proportions of the constituent metals, so although I don't believe it is diagnostic, it can give a strong indication of the likely age of a copper-alloy artefact.

I'll pass that info on, I think he want's to get it tested, because he is sure it's genuine.

[waltonbasinman]

Totally agree Rjm. Clueless can also mean we do not have the time or resources to deal with this. I would say get it tested and when they give you the results re post this on here and say we told them so. Your gut feeling is usually the right one. A lovely find whatever the out come and one we all would be proud off.

[Meatslicer]

Where was it found? Looks like a bust of Tetricus. He is always shown bearded and his gallic empire was based in Britain and northern France/Gaul. His empire was based on the roman fleet so they used coastal connections. If it was found near a coastal location, it could be significant.

Eric

[avalon]

Where was it found? Looks like a bust of Tetricus. He is always shown bearded and his gallic empire was based in Britain and northern France/Gaul. His empire was based on the roman fleet so they used coastal connections. If it was found near a coastal location, it could be significant.

Eric

It's a bust of Lucius Verus, and was found in Worcestershire.

[Pipster]

A super find