Metal Figurines in Roman Britain
This thesis is a study of metal figurines in Roman Britain. These small figures mainly depict deities and animals or birds, and occasionally priests or other human subjects. They are an important example of the changed religious practice of Romanised Britons, and provide fascinating insights into the spread of technology and forms of worship. Material was collected from publications, the Portable Antiquities Scheme database and museum collections, resulting in a corpus of over 1000 figurines. Analysis focuses on four principal areas: the spatial and social distribution of figurines, figurines as an expression of Romano-British art, their role in Romano- British religion and the evidence for the regional use of figurines. My research shows that there are differences in the use and production of figurines throughout Britain. For example, Eastern deities, particularly those of the Cybele and Isis cults, are predominantly associated with urban and military populations, and there is a concentration of such objects in London and Colchester. Traditionally, high quality figurines are thought to have been imported, poorly executed pieces locally produced, and moderate pieces are identified as possibly British or Gaulish.
Durham, Emma
Metal Figurines in Roman Britain. This thesis is a study of metal figurines in Roman Britain. These small figures mainly depict deities and animals or birds, and occasionally priests or other human subjects. They are an important example of the changed religious practice of Romanised Britons, and provide fascinating insights into the spread of technology and forms of worship. Material was collected from publications, the Portable Antiquities Scheme database and museum collections, resulting in a corpus of over 1000 figurines. Analysis focuses on four principal areas: the spatial and social distribution of figurines, figurines as an expression of Romano-British art, their role in Romano- British religion and the evidence for the regional use of figurines. My research shows that there are differences in the use and production of figurines throughout Britain. For example, Eastern deities, particularly those of the Cybele and Isis cults, are predominantly associated with urban and military populations, and there is a concentration of such objects in London and Colchester. Traditionally, high quality figurines are thought to have been imported, poorly executed pieces locally produced, and moderate pieces are identified as possibly British or Gaulish.
metal figurines roman_britain study metal figurine roman_britain small figure mainly depict deity animal bird occasionally priests human subject important example change religious_practice romanised britons provide fascinate insight spread technology form worship material_collect publication portable_antiquities_scheme database museum_collection result corpus figurine analysis focus principal area spatial social distribution figurine figurine expression romano_british art role romano british religion evidence regional use figurine show difference use production figurine throughout_britain example eastern particularly cult predominantly associate urban military population concentration object london traditionally high_quality figurine think import poorly execute piece locally_produce moderate piece identify possibly british