Date: 2^nd - 3^rd Century AD:

Size: larger example: length: 175 mm: weight: 38.38 grams:

smaller example: length: 111 mm: weight: 11.04 grams:

Here we have two iron / bronze [conserved], Roman medical instruments recovered whilst detecting an area close to the old course [now bypassed] of the major Roman trunk road of Ermine Street:

The objects appear to be the type of instruments used in a military context by a Roman medici or capsarii *: The larger of the two instruments may be a larger scalpel type instrument and the smaller instrument a variation of the same functional tool: The larger scalpel has a copper-alloy weighted composite circular guard and an iron handled cor with a ‘pig-tail’ hanger: Both of the instruments have been oxide-conserved with the careful removal of iron-oxide, they have then been oiled to reduce further oxide-developments:

Provennce:

Both instruments where uncovered whilst detecting an area close to the old course [now bypassed] of the major Roman trunk road of Ermine Street: This location is close to a dried ancient river-bed where, I have previously recovered 3^rd century Roman pottery fabrics of a ‘Nene-Valley’ type in various lipped and footed forms [none tumbled]:

*Roman soldiers wounded in battle or afflicted by illness or disease would find themselves in the hands of the medical corps. In battle wounded soldiers may have been treated by field medics, 'milites medici or capsarii', so-called after the capsa or box for bandages that they commonly carried.

Reference material and further reading: 

Where possible ancient artifacts may be referenced to similar material observed in the following publications within my collection:

• British Artefacts Vol.1, 2 and 3: Brett Hammond [Greenlight Publishing 2010]:

• Celtic & Roman Artefacts: Nigel Mills [Greenlight Publishing 2007]:

• SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome: Mary Beard [Profile Books 2015]:

• 50 Bronze Age Artefacts: Portable Antiquities Scheme: Dot Boughton [Amberley Publishing 2021]:

• Pottery in Britain 4000BC to AD 1900: Lloyd Laing [Greenlight Publishing 2003]:

• British Iron Age Coins In The British Museum: Richard Hobbs [British Museum 1996]:

• Swords of The Viking Age: Ian Peirce: [The Boydell Press 2003]:

• Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society Volume 85: [Cambridge University Press

  2019]

• Mesolithic Europe: Geoff Bailey / Penny Spikins [Cambridge University Press 2008]

• Viking Art: James Graham-Campbell: [Thames & Hudson, London 2018]

• Roman Coins Vol. 1, 2 & 3: David R Sear: [Spink London 2000]:

• The Roman Cavalry: Karen R. Dixon: [B. . Batsford 1997]:

• Rome’s Saxon Shore: Coastal Defenses of Roman Britain AD 250 – 500: Nic Fields [Osprey Publishing 2006]:

• Amulets of Ancient Egypt: Carol Andrews: [University of Texas Press / British Museum Press 1994]:

• The Uniforms of the Roman World: Military dress, weapons, artillery, ships, siege engines and fortifications: Kevin F. Killey: [Anness Publishing 2017]:

Where possible finger rings may be referenced to similar material observed in the following publications within my collection:

• Victorian and Albert Museum CATALOGUE OF FINGER RINGS 1930: C.C.Oman [Anglia Publishing. 1991 – Now out of print]:

• Finger Rings: Diana Scarisbrick / Martin Henig: [Ashmolean Museum Oxford. 2003]:

• Ancient Rings An Illustrated Collectors Guide: T. N. Polio: [McFarland & Co Inc. 2018:

• 1000 Rings: Inspiring Adornments of the Hand: Le Van, Marthe; Ebendorf, Robert [W: Lark Books 2004]:

Copyright Ancient Pasts | All rights reserved