Late Roman Iron-Shafted Lead Plumbata

拍品描述

Circa 3rd-7th century A.D. Comprising a barrel-shaped lead body with a round-section shaft with a barbed finial. Cf. Southern, P. & Dixon, K.R., The Late Roman Army, London, 1996, fig.46, pp.113-115. 67.4 grams, 13 cm (5 1/8 in.). Ex German art market, 2000s. Acquired from an EU collector living in London. From the collection of a Surrey, UK, gentleman. Lead-weighted darts known as plumbatae mamillatae (or 'breasted javelin') were short darts mounted upon a shaft of the same shape, and thrown from a short distance. A Roman soldier would typically carry around 5-6 of these darts at any one time, fastened to the back of his shield. They could be thrown overhand or underhand, with an effective throwing range of up to 60 metres by trained soldiers. TimeLine Auctions follows a rigorous vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists. See our website for more information.

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