Bowl
A small silver bowl. Engraved on the inner base is a fish swimming left. Its scales are picked out as incised decoration and the reserve metal has been filled with niello. Below the fish are 6 'C' shaped incisions intended to represent water flow. Above the fish is an incised scroll-type pattern. Surrounding the fish is an engraved circle from which extends a circumferential wave or meander pattern. The base of the bowl has a circular foot and has incised graffiti which reads 'VIKIINI.''
The bowl is similar in form to those found in hoards at Niederbieber (see Lehner, H. 1911, Bonner Jahrbucher 120, 279ff) and from Manching (see Krämer, W. 1958 Neue Ausgrabungen in Deutschland 197 Abb. 22). The interior decoration of the bowl has parallels with the Germanissa plate from Berthouville (Babelon, E. 1916 Le trésor d'argenterie de Berthouville 130 Nr. 24 Taf. 28) and the niello decoration of medallions at the centre of bowls is characteristic of 3rd century silver workshops in the north western provinces of the Roman Empire.
Quantity
1
Weight
91.14 g
Length
2 cm
Diameter
8 cm
Material
Silver
Hoard
References:
Reference
Comment
Inventory no: 66.0005,01
