Description:

Roman, Imperial Period, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE. A gorgeous example of a cast bronze ceremonial ladle with a deep round bowl and a long handle that ends in the head of a duck, swan, or goose. The ladle - a simpulum or simpuvium - was used to make libations and to taste wines and liquors that were poured on the heads of sacrificial victims. It was also more generally just a utensil, shown in banqueting scenes on Greek and Italian vases aiding in the distribution of wine into cups. The hooked end of the handle is shown in a scene from an Etruscan tomb being held by a slave and used to hang the utensil from the side of a large wine vessel. The style of this example - with the round bowl and the handle ending in the head of an animal, especially a duck - was a very long-lasting tradition, extending from the Greeks and Etruscans to the Romans. Size: 1.85" W x 17.55" H (4.7 cm x 44.6 cm)

Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection

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#132494

  • Condition: Handle has been repaired at center. Very dark patina with one area of old repair on bowl. Nicely preserved terminal.

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July 5, 2018 7:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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