LOT 1139 Roman Silvanus Statuette
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3rd century AD. A bronze figure of the god Silvanus-Sucellus advancing naked, a small wolfskin carried on the left shoulder containing the first fruits of the harvest, sickle in his right hand, a plume attached to his back as residual of the fastening element of a vessel; mounted on a custom-made display stand. See Dorsey, P.F., The Cult of Silvanus: A Study in Roman Folk Religion, Columbia Studies in the Classical Tradition 20, Leiden, New York, Köln, 1992. 116 grams total, 85mm including stand (3 1/4"). From the private collection of Antony John Scammell (1937-2019); acquired from C. J. Martin (Coins) Ltd, London, UK, in 1998; accompanied by a copy of the original invoice. Surviving images of the god often depict him with a sickle or a falx, which was used to prune or cut vegetation. It’s an instrument of agriculture, which is reinforced by the occasional depiction of him with an animal skin full of food – a horn of plenty of sorts. He was also considered a protector of the home, boundaries, fields, and was even called Lar Agrestis (Dorsey 1992, 22-5"). Antony John Scammell (1937-2019) was born, and lived his entire life, in the city of Bristol, England. Already from an early age he was enthralled by history and the heroes that it created. While serving overseas with the British Army, Antony began collecting coins and banknotes and this led to collecting a variety of different items throughout his life. From the early 1960s onward, Antony invested in acquiring ancient artefacts. Antony's vast collections started with Egyptian antiquities, but soon branched into Greek and Roman civilisations. The Roman civilisation fascinated him most and, when family commitments allowed, archaeological digs were coordinated in the west of England. These digs uncovered numerous artefacts, many of which were donated to local museums. In retirement, the collecting continued apace, branching into UK coins, British Empire banknotes and fossils.
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