The Roman Lighthouse at Dover: An Unlikely Survivor from Antiquity

Located on the grounds of Dover Castle in Kent, England, is a well preserved Roman lighthouse constructed from the orange-red tiles found throughout the Roman world, and from local flint and other stones. The original structure seems to have been erected about 50 AD with major reconstruction around130 AD, and was perfectly situated atop the high chalk cliffs of this area to help guide maritime traffic moving through the Channel between the ports of southeast Britain and what is now France, Belgium and the Netherlands. It was originally one of a pair, the other lighthouse having been situated on the cliffs about one thousand meters to the southwest. That structure did not survive the centuries and its foundation is now buried beneath 18th Century fortifications.

The lighthouse’s function is known with certainty due to its very close resemblance to other surviving lighthouses in Egypt and Spain and excavated examples in Italy, as well ancient depictions of the famous Pharos lighthouse at Alexandria, Egypt. In its original form it would have been square inside and octagonal outside, with four levels. It stands about 75 feet tall today, with the top 19 feet being Medieval reconstruction. It owes its survival mainly to having been used as a church tower in the Middle Ages and a variety of other uses over the centuries. Adjacent to it is the church of St Mary in Castro, the original fabric of which was partly constructed of material recycled from the lighthouse and other nearby Roman remains by the Saxons around 600 AD. Roman tile and worked flint are clearly visible throughout the structure. The Saxon church is a significant monument in itself, though it has seen much rebuilding. It is still in use today.

Trains from London to Dover take between one and two hours, depending on time of day. The lighthouse can be accessed today with an admission ticket to Dover Castle. The site is managed by English Heritage. Dover Museum offers excellent exhibits covering the Roman and Saxon periods and these strongly complement a visit to the lighthouse and church. Views from this location are spectacular, with the French coast visible on a clear day, the harbor of Dover directly below and the expanse of the Channel and the Dover cliffs stretching off for miles.

Links:
English Heritage page for Dover Castle – http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/dover-castle/
Dover Museum – http://www.dovermuseum.co.uk/Home.aspx

 

Dover Roman Lighthouse. To the right is the Saxon period Church of St Mary in Castro. Note the use of Roman building material in the church’s fabric. In the distance at left is Dover Castle.

A close up view of Dover Roman lighthouse. The figure standing at bottom right between the lighthouse and church offers a sense of scale. Note the layers of Roman tile alternating with worked flint and stone.

View from inside the lighthouse, showing clearly the square interior plan and four levels.

Exterior detail, showing the use of Roman tile in the window arches.

Byzantine Monastic Complex and Mosaics Unearthed in Negev

http://www.pasthorizonspr.com/index.php/archives/04/2014/monastic-mosaics-unearthed-in-the-negev

Viking Exhibition Opens at The British Museum

http://www.historyextra.com/news/longest-known-viking-ship-Roskilde-6-goes-display-exhibition-british-museum

Clio Ancient Art Valentine's Sale

Hello Customers, Friends and Fans of Clio Ancient Art:

In honor of Valentine’s Day, we are holding a sale on selected antiquities. This sale ends 7:00 PM Saturday, February 15.

ROMAN ANTIQUITIES (coins not included), 15% OFF

56 items to select from in stone, ceramic, bronze and glass. You can find these here –

http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/c15_p1.html

http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/c16_p1.html

http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/c17_p1.html

ANCIENT JEWELRY AND PERSONAL ADORNMENT, 15% OFF

36 items, Egyptian, Roman, Byzantine, Medieval European and early Islamic, in silver, bronze, faience, enamel and glass. You can find these here –

http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/c19_p1.html

http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/c19_p2.html

BOOKS, CATALOGS AND OTHER PUBLICATIONS, FRAMED AND UNFRAMED ART, 15% OFF

24 items available. You can find these here –

http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/c25_p1.html

As always, thanks for looking.

Best wishes,

Chris M. Maupin
Clio Ancient Art and Antiquities
Chris Maupin Trust for Ancient Art
PO Box 7714
Wilmington, NC 28406
Phone: 704-293-3411
Web: http://www.clioancientart.com/

Babylon 1947

This faded, tattered old picture is something more personal than our usual offerings here at Clio Ancient Art: A 1947 photo of my extended family, on my mother’s side, on a day trip to visit the ruins of Babylon. They are gathered around, and on, the guardian lion at the Ishtar Gate, carved from basalt and dating to the 6th Century BC.

Is it any wonder I pursued archaeology in academia and later became an antiquities dealer?

Much has changed in the world of archaeology, and in the legitimate antiquities trade, since this image was taken. The very scene where this was taken has undergone dramatic changes, none of them for the better, and not one person in this image is still alive. But whatever tumult this lion of Babylon has seen in the last few decades is certainly no worse than what had come before.

Perhaps this stone lion is a reminder to us of the valuable lessons history has to offer, and the beautiful handiwork of human creativity, if we are prepared to stop and examine the past without sectarian, nationalist, ethnic or religious prejudice.

Collecting Ancient Coptic / Byzantine Textiles

The colorful textile above is a fragment from a Coptic Egyptian ecclesiastical garment depicting saints and biblical figures and dating to the 7th Century AD, now in The British Museum. Thanks to exceptionally dry conditions, many types of artifacts made from perishable materials that would not survive elsewhere are common finds on Egyptian archaeological sites. Between the late 18th and early 20th Century great numbers of ancient Egyptian textile fragments from all periods were retrieved by local Egyptian treasure hunters and artifacts dealers for sale to foreign visitors, by foreigners conducting their own ad-hoc “excavations” and by archaeologists, often excavating using methods that would by today’s standards be considered little more than treasure hunting.

While textiles of all types, from the most humble garments to the most elaborate, and from every period of Egypt’s long history have been preserved in the dry environment, Coptic textiles are a class unto themselves. In common parlance, use of the term “Coptic” here refers both to the time period from which these textiles date – corresponding to the roughly 300 year period of Byzantine rule in Egypt – and the Christian culture that created them, as the Coptic Church, still very much alive today in Egypt, gives its name to both the ancient and modern Coptic culture. This uniquely Coptic textile style continued on in Egypt long after the Islamic conquest of the 7th Century AD.

Many Coptic textile fragments, and in some cases entire garments, have since found their way into museum collections. This has somewhat reduced the number of high quality examples available on the legitimate art market. But many fine examples can be acquired from the major London and New York auction houses and reputable antiquities dealers in Europe and the North America.

Our own website offers a small but quality selection of Coptic textiles:

http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/i284.html

The example above is a large 5th-7th Century fragment featuring human, animal and geometric decorations. It has been sewn on a linen backing for mounting and custom framed. A brief description in modern Arabic from a late 19th – early 20th Century Cairo dealer enhances its value.

http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/i285.html

This 5th – 7th Century example, from the same old collection, is also framed and features complex foliate and geometric patterns.

http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/i176.html

Finally, this 4th – 7th Century example features a broad band of highly abstracted animal forms, including fish, birds and rabbits, with lovely deep red borders.

Some of the finest examples of Coptic weaving, which was generally made in linen and wool, were reserved for ecclesiastical garments. The 5th – 7th Century fragment pictured below, now in The British Museum, depicts a cross and bird; the bird may have been part of an allegory of the seasons, thus combining ancient pagan and the newer Christian iconography.


 
There are excellent print and online resources for the student or collector of ancient Coptic textiles.  The Coptic Tapestry Albums & The Archaeologist of Antinoe, Albert Gayet  by Nancy Arthur Hoskins, is a very accessible, lavishly color illustrated guide to the collection amassed by the controversial French psuedo-archaeologist Albert Gayet in the late 19th Century. It describes Coptic textile production techniques as well as offering insight into how collections of these objects were built in the 19th and early 20th Centuries. Two online resources that we recommend are the Rietz Collection of Coptic textiles in the California Academy of Sciences – http://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/anthropology/coptic/Collection.htm – and the Indiana University Museum’s small but excellent online collections – http://www.iub.edu/~iuam/online_modules/coptic/cophome.html.

CONSULTING SERVICES: AUTHENTICATING AND IDENTIFYING ANTIQUITIES

 

Education, authentication and identification are the key elements in building a collection of ancient art. We at Clio Ancient Art are often contacted by private owners, art museums and estate executors wishing to identify objects and learn if the they are genuine ancient artifacts, reproductions, fakes, forgeries, or tourist trinkets. As a service to antiquities collectors, owners and the museum community, Clio Ancient Art provides authentication and identification services. Click here to learn more about this service: http://www.clioancientart.com/id23.html.

Educating oneself is the key to avoiding disappointment upon learning that an “antiquity” one may have purchased is not ancient or genuine, as well as avoiding ethical or legal complications associated with ownership of an antiquity with questionable provenance. Our own links page — http://www.clioancientart.com/id15.html — is a good starting point in building a knowledge base about antiquities and ancient art.

New Items, A Sale and Much More for January

http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/i516.html

 Hello Clio Customers, Friends and Fans,

Thank you for helping make 2013 another successful year for Clio Ancient Art and the Trust for Ancient Art. I hope 2014 proves to be a happy, peaceful and prosperous New Year for you.

I'd like to start off by sharing a few new offerings on our website:

* A 3rd Century Roman mold-blown glass jar - http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/i516.html

* A 1st-2nd Century Roman glass bottle - http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/i518.html

* A Roman Bronze Claw Foot - http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/i517.html

We're having a SALE, ending January 20, on the following specific categories of items --

* Cypriot Antiquities Section: http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/c1_p1.html 15% OFF

* Byzantine, European, Medieval and Islamic Antiquities Section: http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/c26_p1.html AND http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/c21_p1.html 15% OFF

Please note coins are not included in this sale.

Clio added many very affordable antiquities and ancient coins leading up to the holidays and despite the holiday sales rush many are still available. Didn't get what you really wanted for Christmas? Treat yourself to something from the website; prices range from $25 to $2,500 - http://www.clioancientart.com/.

Now for a very important invitation: Clio has a simple ONLINE SURVEY WAITING FOR YOU. It's just 9 questions, anonymous, mostly point and click, and only takes 2 or 3 minutes to complete. To help Clio better serve you, please click here to participate in our survey -- http://fluidsurveys.com/surveys/chris-CB3/clio-2014-new-year-survey/

Clio received some positive press in the Wilmington, NC Business Journal recently. A copy of that article is attached. Here a link to the article - http://www.wilmingtonbiz.com/retail/2014/01/03/clio_debuts_in_wilmington/11225

Our Trust for Ancient Art ended the year by facilitating transfer of a fine collection of Roman glass from a donor in Atlanta to the Mint Museum of Art in Charlotte, NC. Here's an article from our Wordpress Blog about this - http://clioantiquities.wordpress.com/2013/12/26/clios-trust-for-ancient-art-facilitates-gift-of-ancient-glass-to-mint-museum-of-art/

As always, thanks for viewing our website.

Best wishes,

Chris M. Maupin
Clio Ancient Art and Antiquities
Chris Maupin Trust for Ancient Art
PO Box 7714
Wilmington, NC 28406
Phone: 704-293-3411
Web: http://www.clioancientart.com/

Amateur speleologists in Rome are mapping the city's network of 11 ancient aqueducts for the first time in modern history.

http://www.latimes.com/world/la-fg-roman-aqueducts-20140101,0,2669673.story#axzz2pLPIhQw5

Trust for Ancient Art Facilitates Gift of Ancient Glass to Mint Museum of Art

We are pleased to announce that our Trust for Ancient Art has rounded out the year by facilitating the donation of a collection of ancient Roman glass from an anonymous Atlanta collector, acquired many years ago in Israel, to the Mint Museum of Art in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Mint had previously benefited from the Trust’s donation of a superb Medieval English encaustic glazed floor tile. A few images of the Roman glass vessels now at the Mint Museum are included here.

Vatican to Open Roman Cemetary to Public

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-25421841

Amazing But True Story

http://www.pasthorizonspr.com/index.php/archives/12/2013/search-relics-martyr-queen-ketevan

Antiquity of the Week: Roman Enameled and Tinned Bronze Rabbit Brooch

Our selection for "Antiquity of the Week" is this very small but remarkable Romano-British rabbit brooch with surviving traces of a tin coating (to resemble silver) and enamel decoration.

http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/i506.html

CULTURE / REGION OF ORIGIN: Roman England but of Continental origin.

DATE: 1^st or 2^nd Century AD

DIMENSIONS:  2.3 cm (0.90 in.)

DESCRIPTION: A remarkable and very uncommon type of Roman rabbit brooch, of the so-called "Rabbit with Young" type - so named because the 2 cells in the surface each form of a small seated rabbit.  These rabbit cells still contain traces of the original red enamel fill, while the surface around them shows remains of tinning. The animal's front and back legs are delicate and clearly represented, with an overall naturalistic body. The tiny head is now missing. The back is flat and undecorated with the hinge and catch plate for the now missing pin still present. The UK Portable Antiquities Scheme's vast database contains only 11 examples of rabbit brooches, found in England but mostly of Continental origin, probably from Gaul, and only a few of these are the "Rabbit with Young" variety. A tiny, remarkable and very uncommon type at a very reasonable price.

PROVENANCE: UK metal detecting find, declared not Treasure and legally exported.

COMPARISONS: For a nearly identical example, also missing part of the head and the pin, see the UK Portable Antiquities Database at www.finds.org.uk, Unique ID: SF-D91D84

Vikings Coming to The British Museum

Here's the link to the much talked about Viking exhibition coming to The British Museum this Spring - http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/exhibitions/vikings.aspx

Another Fine Ongoing Exhibit at the Villa

An ongoing, long term exhibition and a personal favorite. For those with an interest in ancient glass, I recommend the Getty’s publications selection on the topic, which is extensive – http://www.getty.edu/art/exhibitions/molten_color/index.html

Exhibits at The Getty Villa

As always, there are some great exhibitions ongoing at the Getty Villa in Malibu. Here’s one, running through March 3, 2013 –
http://www.getty.edu/art/exhibitions/tiberius/

Antiquities for the Holidays

Hello Customers, Fans and Friends of Clio Ancient Art:

For Black Friday, Cyber Monday and all the other shopping days between now and the end of this year, we’ve loaded our website with many modestly priced fine quality antiquities suitable for holiday gift giving. These include  - 

·         * Several dozen Roman, Byzantine, early Islamic and other ancient and medieval coins of all types, all reasonably priced, including several excellent examples of the coinage of Constantine I. You may find them here: http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/c18_p1.html

·         * At least 20 examples of Roman bronze brooches of several types. These are very personal antiquities that connect us to the individuals who originally wore them. Many are available for under $100. You may find these in our multi-page Ancient Jewelry section here: http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/c19_p1.html

·          

      * Ancient oil lamps, including fine Roman redware, Byzantine, Hellenistic and early Islamic examples - http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/c14_p1.html

·          

      * Ancient glass vessels and objects, mostly Roman, in many shapes, styles, colors and prices - http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/c13_p1.html and here http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/c24_p1.html

·         * As always, we offer fine quality Egyptian antiquities - http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/c2_p1.html

 

·         * Greek antiquities - http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/c3_p1.html

·         * Several pages of Roman antiquities - http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/c15_p1.html and here - http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/c16_p1.html and here - http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/c17_p1.html

·        *  And mixed Byzantine, Near Eastern, Medieval and other types of antiquities - http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/c26_p1.html – and here - http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/c21_p1.html

Many of the fine quality objects offered in these pages also very moderately priced for holiday gift giving or for treating yourself. Domestic shipping is free (see our website for international shipping costs).

As always, thanks for looking and please don’t hesitate to contact us should you have any questions.

Best wishes,

Chris M. Maupin
Clio Ancient Art and Antiquities
Chris Maupin Trust for Ancient Art
PO Box 7714
Wilmington, NC 28406
Phone: 704-293-3411
Web: http://www.clioancientart.com/

ANTIQUITY OF THE WEEK: Roman Bronze Arm, Hand and Purse of Mercury

 

http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/i490.html

Exceptional Roman Bronze Arm, Hand & Purse of Mercury

CULTURE / REGION OF ORIGIN: Roman Britain

DATE: 2^nd-3^rd Century AD

DIMENSIONS: 4 cm (1.57 in.) long, 3.5 cm (1.38 in.) tall

DESCRIPTION: A beautifully preserved hollow cast bronze arm and hand holding a purse from a statuette of the Roman god Mercury (equivalent to the Greek god Hermes). The arm is bent at the elbow, in the god’s typical stance, and the detailed hand grasps a shepherds purse. Mercury was the patron god of financial gain and commerce, among others roles, and statuettes of the god were especially popular in the western European provinces of the Empire. Mercury’s Greek equivalent, Hermes, was also a protector of shepherds, so his purse, which resembles an animal skin, is referred to as a shepherds purse. Unlike most smaller statuette fragments, this example is just large enough to have come from a hollow cast statuette, probably from a household or military shrine. The point at which the arm has broken away from the statuette reveals its hollow inside. The surfaces are a very smooth dark green, almost black, with small areas of pale earthen highlighting.

PROVENANCE: Oxfordshire, UK metal detecting find, declared not treasure and legally exported.

COMPARISONS: See the UK Portable Antiquities Scheme online database, object SF-EBF-303, for a smaller hand and purse found in Suffolk, and the British Museum collections online, number 1851,0813.9 for a complete figurine of Mercury found in France, measuring about 6 inches tall, holding the purse in this same posture.

Latest Clio News: Our Move is Complete, Website Uodated and More!

Hello Customers, Friends & Fans of Clio Ancient Art:

Most of you know that in early October we were planning our move from Charlotte, NC to the coastal City of Wilmington, NC. That move has been completed and we are happily settled in our wonderful new home. Wilmington is a modest sized city of just 110,000 people but thriving, with a lively performing arts scene, major film industry, sophisticated restaurant and food community, a strong academic base with a campus of the University of North Carolina, a large Historic District featuring remarkable homes and public buildings dating from our nation's Colonial Era, the Antebellum period and later, and, of course, magnificent beaches, offshore islands, inland waterways and other natural wonders.

Now that we've settled in, we've updated our website - http://www.clioancientart.com/ - with many fine antiquities. These include -

* An Egyptian writing tablet amulet in moss agate - http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/i462.html

* 2 small Egyptian Late Period faience ushabtis - http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/i472.html

and - http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/i473.html

* A superb Roman bronze zoomorphic brooch in the shape of a duck - http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/i476.html

* A small Roman bronze zoomorphic brooch in the shape of a stylized Celtic horse - http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/i474.html

* A Roman bronze zoomorphic brooch in the shape of a standing horse - http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/i475.html

* Many examples of Romano-British and Pre-Roman Celtic bronze fibulae, too numerous to list individually here but these may be viewed in our "Ancient Jewelry and Personal Adornment" section here - http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/c19_p1.html

* A great selection of Roman coins in bronze and silver. Far too numerous to list individually here, these are listed in both our Roman Antiquities pages and in our Ancient Coins section - http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/c18_p1.html

Please note our new mailing address below.

Thank you and best wishes,

Chris M. Maupin
Clio Ancient Art and Antiquities
Chris Maupin Trust for Ancient Art
PO Box 7714
Wilmington, NC 28406
Phone (704) 293-3411
http://www.clioancientart.com/

Antiquity of the Week: Villanovan Pottery Vessel

Our selection for antiquity of the week is thus superb, intact Villanovan Impasto Ware Vessel


CULTURE / REGION OF ORIGIN: Villanovan Culture, Italy (Northern Lazio or Southern Etruria))
DATE:  8th – 7th Century BCE
DIMENSIONS: Maximum height with handle 11 cm (4.3 in.); maximum width 13.1 cm (5.1 in.); rim diameter 12.0 cm (4.7 in.)



Link to this Item: http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/i41.html

http://www.clioancientart.com/catalog/i41.html

DESCRIPTION: A Villanovan brown Impasto Ware dipper. The vessel rests on a flat bottom, expands to its greatest width about half way up the bowl, narrows slightly, then continues vertically up to the lip. At three roughly equidistant points around the outside of the body, there are nipple-like projections. The handle is flat in section and divided into two loops. The entire surface is highly burnished, inside and out. There are three very small chips to the rim but the vessel is otherwise intact. A very nice example of the type.

PROVENANCE: Formerly in the collection of Lord Dayton of Corran, the collection formed between 1960 and 2000.

PUBLISHED: Ex Bonhams, ANTIQUITIES, 27 April 2006, London, Page 160, illustrated in color on Page 159.
COMPARISONS: Sestieri and De Santis, The Protohistory of the Latin Peoples, Electa, Rome, 2000, pages 36, 62 and 84 for examples of Villanovan Impasto Ware jugs or dippers of very similar form, with divided handles and projections on the body. 

SPECIAL NOTES:  The Etruscan civilization of Italy has its immediate roots in the Villanovan culture of west central Italy; an area open to influences from Greek and Carthaginian colonists and traders and northern European Celtic cultures. The Villanovan culture, centered in a broad area around the modern city of Bologna, rapidly developed from simple agricultural village life to a more socially stratified and technologically sophisticated society. The Etruscan cities of the following centuries grew directly out of Villanovan town foundations.This large, beautiful, highly polished pottery vessel offers a glimpse forward to the sophisticated Etruscan Impasto and Bucchero wares of the 7th and 6th Centuries BCE.