Bronze Boar Figurines in Iron Age and Roman Britain 9780904531749, 9781407320496

Table of contents :
Front Cover
Copyright
Table of Contents
LIST OF FIGURES
LIST OF PLATES
INTRODUCTION
BOARS OF IRON AGE DATE
CONCLUSION
CATALOGUE OF BRITISH BOAR FIGURINES
PLATES
CATALOGUE OF BRONZE BOAR FIGURINES FROM THE CONTINENT
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ABBREVIATIONS
BIBLIOGRAPHY

Citation preview

Bronze Boar Figurines in Iron Age and Roman Britain

Jennifer Foster

British Archaeological Reports 3 9 1 977

British Archaeological Reports 122, Banbury Road, Oxford OX2 7BP, England

GENERAL EDITORS A. R. Hands, B.Sc., M.A., D.Phil. D. R. Walker, M.A.

A. C. C. Brodribb, M.A. Mrs. Y. M. Hands

ADVISORY EDITORS C. B. Burgess, B.A., F.S.A. Neil Cossons, M.A., F.S.A., F.M.A. Professor B. W. Cunliffe, M.A., Ph.D.: F.S.A. Sonia Chadwick Hawkes, B.A., l\LA., F.S.A. Professor G. D. B. Jones, M.A., D.Phil., F.S.A. P. A. Mellars, M.A., Ph.D. Frances Lynch, M.A., F.S.A. P. A. Rahtz, M. A., F.S.A •

B.A .R. 39, 1977:

"Bronze Boar Figurines in Iron Age and Roman Britain"

© Jennifer Foster, 1977

The author’s moral rights under the 1988 UK Copyright, Designs and Patents Act are hereby expressly asserted. All rights reserved. No part of this work may be copied, reproduced, stored, sold, distributed, scanned, saved in any form of digital format or transmitted in any form digitally, without the written permission of the Publisher. ISBN 9780904531749 paperback ISBN 9781407320496 e-book DOI https://doi.org/10.30861/9780904531749 A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library This book is available at www.barpublishing.com

CONTENTS Page L ist o f F igures L ist o f P la tes 1

I NTRODUCT ION BRONZE BOAR F IGUR INES I N BR ITA IN Boars o f I ron Age d ate

7

Boars o f Ro man d a te

1 7

Boars o f u ncerta in d ate o r p rovenance

2 3

Ang lo-Saxon b oars

2 3

Represen tat ion :

2 3

b oars o r p igs?

CONCLUS ION

2 6

Ca ta logue o f Br it ish Boar F igur ines

2 9

P lates

3 4-46

Cata logue o f b ronze b oar f igur ines f ro m t he Cont inen t

4 7

Acknow ledge men ts

5 0

Abbrev ia t ions

5 1

B ib l iography

5 3

L IST OF F IGURES

Page F ig . 1

D is tr ibut ion o f b ronze b oar f igur ines i n Br ita in .

4

F ig . 2

B oar f igur ine f ro m Meare , S o merse t .

6

F ig . 3

T hree v iews o f b oar f igur ine f ro m L exden T u mu lus , E ssex .

F ig . 4

8

T hree v iews o f b oar f igur ine f ro m L exden Tu mu lus , E ssex .

9

F ig . 5

B oar f igur ines A a nd B f ro m Houns low , M idd lesex .

F ig . 6

B oar f igur ine C f rom Houns low , M idd lesex , a nd

1

b oar f igur ine f rom Wood ingdean , S ussex .

1 2

F ig . 7

B oar f igur ines f ro m East S ussex a nd E as t L ondon .

1 4

F ig . 8

B oar f igur ines f ro m Gower P en insu la , G la morgans h ire, a nd G aer F awr , Mon tgo merysh ire.

F ig . 9

B oar p laques f ro m Mun tha m C our t , S ussex a nd tisf fo Wat ie ld , S uf lk .

F ig. 1 0

B oar

F ig. 1 2

1 8

h eads f rom C hesters , N or thu mber land a nd

lingha m F W il en , C a mbr idgesh ire. F ig. 1 1

1 6

2 0

B oar f orepar ts f rom A ldborough , Yorksh ire , a nd E astcheap , L ondon .

2 2

S ea ted b oar f igur ine f ro m Co lches ter , Essex .

2 4

L IST OF PLATES Page P la te

I

P la te

I

P la te

I I

B oar f igur ine f ro m Meare ,

S o merset

B oar f i gur ine f ro m L exden T u mu lus,

3 4 E ssex

B oar f i gur ines A , B a nd C f r om H ouns low , M idd lesex

P la te

I V

V

P la te

V I

P la te

V I I

P la te V I I I P la te

I X

P la te

X

P la te

X I

3 6

B oar f igur ines f ro m G ower P en insu la , s h ire ,

P la te

3 5

a nd G aer Fawr ,

G la morgan-

Montgo merysh ire

B oar f i gur ine f ro m Wood ingdea .n ,

S ussex

3 7 3 8

B oar f i gur ines f ro m East S ussex a nd East L ondon

3 9

B oar p laques f ro m Muntha m C our t , Wat ie ld , S uffo lk tisf

4 0

L ion p laque f ro m Cape l S t .

S ussex a nd

Mary , S uf lk fo

4 1

B oar h eads f ro m C hesters, N or thu mber land a nd Wil en , Cambr idgesh ire lingham F

4 2

B oar f orepar t

4 3

f ro m L ondon ( Sydney Museu m )

B oar f orepar ts f ro m A ldborough , Yorksh ire ; Eastcheap , L ondon ; a nd f i gur ine f ro m C o lchester , E ssex

4 4

P la te X I I

B oar f i gur ine f ro m I re land ( W11)

4 5

P la te X I I I

Boar f igur ines f ro m I re land ( W il a nd W10 )

4 6

I Nf RODUC T ION T he b oar h as b een v enera ted ,

e u log ised ,

h un ted a nd e a ten i n E urope

f or m il ia , u n t i l i t s v ir tua l e x t inct ion i n r ecen t h istor ica l t ime . l enn

T h is

a dm ira t ion r evea led i t se lf i n B rl ish my ths l ong a f ter t he p agan C e l t ic p er iod , a nd t he b oar ' sh ead w as s t il n i mpor tan t d ish i n Med ieva l Eng land . l a T he a t ten t ion p a id t o t he b oar , t herefore , was n ot c onf ined t o t he b arbar ian C e lt ic p eop les o f N or thern E urope ( t here a re many b ronze amu le ts o f b oars f ro m C lass ica l G reece f or e xamp le ) , o r t o t he p er iod i n wh ich t he C e lts a s ap eop le were most w idespread , d om ina t ion .

i n t he c en tur ies l ead ing u p t o R o man

T he b oar f i gur ines f ro m Br ita in s how t ha t t he a n i ma l i s ar e-

l a c urr ing f ea ture i n t he R o man a s wel s t he Pre-Ro man p er iod . b oar r epresen ta t ions a re n ot o ver-nu merous,

C e lt ic

a nd t he f i gure o f t he b oar i s

b y n o means r estr icted t o C e lt ic c on tex ts . T here c an , h owever , b e n o d oubt t ha t t he b oar was a n i mpor tant a n i ma l i n l a te p reh istor ic Europe.

T here i s f or e xa mp le ,

a rchaeo log ica l e v idence

f o f d epos its o f p ig h aunches i n g raves, p resu mab ly i n tended a s o fer ings o f f ood t o c arry t he d eceased t o t he a f ter l ife . o f I ron Age r e l ig ion ,

t Fro m t he l i t le o f wha t we k now

c h ief ly f ro m t he c lass ica l r eferences,

i t s ee ms t ha t

b e l ief i n a n a f ter l ife f ormed a f a ir ly c en tra l p ar t o f t he t rad it ions . o f t he Y orksh ire Arras g raves , b ones .

A t Arras i t se lf ,

f or e xa mp le ( Greenwel l,

Many

1 906) c on ta in p ig

a l though most g raves c on ta ined o n ly a h u merus,

t wo f orepar ts a nd t wo h eads w ere d iscovered ,

a nd i n o ne b arrow a t Danes

Graves , a n e n t ire s ke leton w as f ound. T he p ig r e ma ins w ere o f ten c lose ly a ssoc ia ted w i th t he b ody , l y ing c lose t o t he f ace o r c over ing t he s hou lders. f Another e xa mp le o f t he i mpor tance o f p ig b ones i n g rave o fer ings c o mes l, Ca mbr f ro m a Be lg ic c re ma t ion g rave a t S na i lwel idgesh ire , ( Lethbr idge , 1 953 ), where t he c o mp lete s ke leton o f ap ig a cco mpan ied t he b ur ia l.

On t he

c on t inen t , many o f t he L a t ene b ur ia ls i n t he Cha mpagne a rea o f F rance c ont a in p ig b ones ( S tead , 1 965 : 7 7 ).

A c e metery a t S oporon-Becs ido m , Hungary ,

p roduced many i n termen ts w i th j o in ts o f p ork , a nd a who le b oar w as b ur ied s epara te ly i n o ne s tonel ined g rave ( Szabo , 1 971 :68 ). I t h as b een s uggested ( S tead 1 965 :77) t ha t t he i nc lus ion o f p ig may h ave f f ormed p ar t o f t he r e l ig ious c ere mony . Perhaps t he o fer ing t ook t he f or m l i o f f ood p rov is ion f or t he f uture l i fe ; t hus t he c o m men t b y G reenwel n h is d iscuss ion o f t he Yorksh ire g raves, " The p ig t herefore a ppears t o h ave b een t he f avour ite a n i ma l i n t he d ie tary o f t hese p eop le ,

i f p rov is ion made

f or t he d ead may b e t aken a s a n i ndex o f t he t aste o f t he l i v ing" . ( 1906 :265) . T h is d oes n o t o f c ourse i mp ly t ha t p ork was a f requen t ly e a ten mea t ; o n t he c on trary , t h is d eference f or p ig c on trasts w ith wha t must h ave b een i t s p ropor t iona te i mpor tance i n t he d iet .

I n Br ita in , p ig f or ms a m inor ,

t hough c ons isten t , p ercen tage o f t he f auna o n most p re-Ro man I ron Age tle a s ites , t ak ing t h ird p lace t o c at nd s heep ,

1

a nd r epresen t ing , o n a verage ,

r n CO ( C

0

PI

w w

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c d C l 4 g l

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0 0

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c o

t r ;

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CD I n

• N .

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,0

C e *

C C C >

C D . C 1 C

. 1

C O

b t l t S G e a n u y o m e r s o r ,

C . c o

c .o ,

C D ..

CZ . . .. 1

c ;

00

e.

c o , N

e *

1 . 0

a > C e

c o C e

c o ' , m c ; co.

e , t ;

o

w

4 ` . ` ) 1 ) ,

C d C V

N

I

l 1 t J 9 5 6 2 H i a o n m : , .

C )

C l

A t P i R i v e r s . ,

C d 0 . v 1 . 0 C .

G loucestersh ire S henbarrow ,

Ra insborough Camp , Nor tha mp tonsh ire

L inco lnsh ire S leaford ,

l, Por tsdown H il

l h d l t l W i T R r e a y s o r , C . ;

1 ( 4

1 • 2

Whee ler , R . Ma iden Cast le, D orset

C )

E .

P it t-R ivers , A .,

0

k h Y i t S r e a n c o r s w , P ercen tages g iven f irst , t hen a bso lu te n u mbers o f b ones .

C d

l t e r o , d f l W H S e r u n a s o . , d V C

1 968 :123 R ich mond , I . , S urrey . l, Hawk 's H il

J ar lshof , S he t land

C l

l, D H od H il orse t .

B .,

l 1 6 C 9 1 3 7 F e : , .

,d

Cun lif f e, E ldon 's S ea t , Dorset

G .,

Ha m i lton , J .,

G ., 1 961:136 H odgson , Ca tcote , Nor thu mber land

B la ise Cast le,

p c ,

Wa inwr igh t ,

Wacher , J . Breedon-on-the-H il l, L e ics .

S .,

1 964 .

1 972 :18 . O swa ld , A ., Beck ford , Worc .

G ., Wa inwr igh t ,

t-R P it ivers, A .,

REFERENCE

:

A ng le D itch , D orse t .

P IG BONES FRO M ARCHAEOLOG ICAL S ITES

, c ‚

I I

63

s , t F H i a n g .

C l

4 I

N

C V N

D i s t r ibu t ion o f b ronz e b oa r f i gu r ine s

gCh e s ter

F e i W e s ton-on -Avon•

ZW it tis t ie l G u i lden * M o rden

E a s t ch ei H oun s low .

L eid en

e s te r

n i t L ond

L ondon ( S ydney Mu s eum )

J F

F ig . 1

D is tr ibu t ion o f b ronze b oar f igur ines i n Br ita in .

1 5% o f t he t o ta l b one f rag ments ( Tab le 1 ) .

P igs were p ossib ly more d if f icu lt

t o r a ise a s a mea t a n i ma l t han were s heep a nd c at tle ; t he c ho ice o f p ig a s ag rave o f fer ing may i mp ly t herefore t ha t p ork was r egarded a s s o meth ing o f ad e l icacy . N ever the less, p igs h e ld a p osit ion o f i mpor tance i n t he i deo logy o f t he C e lts wh ich s hou ld n ot b e u nder e st i ma ted . C er ta in c o m men ts o f t he c lassi ca l wr iters i mp ly t ha t t he b oar was u sed a s at o te m ic o b ject . T ac itus f or e xamp le ment ions i n G erman ia t ha t t he C e lt ic A esti i wore amu le ts o f t he w i ld b oar , s a id t o b e s acred t o t he mother g oddess , t o p rotect t he m f ro m h arm i n b at tle . ( German ia , B ook 4 5) . D iodorus S icu lus wrote o f t he C e lts, " The ir a rmour i nc ludes man s ized s h ie lds, d ecora ted i n i nd iv idua l f ash ion . S o me o f t hese h ave p ro ject ing b ronze a n i ma ls o f f i ne work mansh ip wh ich s erve f or d e fence a s wel l a s d ecora t ion . O n t he ir h eads t hey wear b ronze h e l me ts wh ich p ossess l arge p ro ject ing f i gures ,

l end ing t he a ppearance o f

e normous s ta ture t o t he wearer ; i n s o me c ases h orns f orm o ne p iece w ith t he h e l met , w h i le i n o ther c ases,

i t i s r e l ief f igures o f t he f orepar ts o f

b irds o r q uadrupeds ." ( quo ted : T ierney , 1 960 :251) . I t i s g eneral resu med ly p t ha t t hese f igur ines were i n tended t o p rotect t he wearer f ro m h arm b y c arry ing a n emb le m o f t he g od . Many wr iters r eferr ing t o t he E uropean b ronze b oar f i gur ines h ave a ssu med t he ir C e lt ic o r ig in a nd p o in ted t o t he m a s e xamp les o f h e l met c rests . ( Gray a nd B ul id made t h is s uggest ion i n le 1 955 : V o l . I , 2 23) . T here a re n o a rchaeo log ica l e xamp les o f h e l mets w ith b oars a ctua ly a tached e xcept o ne o f Ang lo-Saxon d a te f ro m Ben ty Grange, l t D erbysh ire ( s ee b e low , p age 2 3

) .

T he g ' e a t s i lver c au ldron f ro m G undestrup , p robab ly d ep ict ing C e lt ic i deo logy , t hough i t s p lace o f manufacture i s u ncer ta in , p rov ides f ur ther e v idence o f b oar-crested h e l mets . O n o ne o f t he i nner p la tes ( E) a s cene s hows f our r id ing f i gures e ach w ith h e l mets t opped w ith a f ea ther c rest , h orns, a b oar a nd a b ird r espect ive ly .

B e low a re f oot s o ld iers, o ne o f

whom wears a h e l met a lso s urmoun ted w ith a b oar . ( K l ind t-Jensen , 1 961; P owel 971) . Werner ( 1 949;254) men t ions a l a ter b ronze p la te f ro m l, 1 T ors lund ,

b land ,

S weden ,

s how ing warr iors i n r e l ief w ith b oars o n t he ir

h e l me ts; t h is i s o f t he M igra t ion p er iod .

T he b oar was e v iden t ly u sed i n

a nother war c ontex t , a s t he mouthp iece f or t he C e lt ic war t ru mpet , o r c arnyx : t he s ame p la te o f t he G undestrup C au ldron ( E) s hows t hree men b low ing t ru mpe ts w ith b oar t er m ina ls . T hese were p robab ly s im i lar t o t he t ru mpe ts r eferred t o b y D iodorus S icu lus ( t rans la ted : T ierney 1 960 :251) , " The ir t ru mpe ts a ga in a re o f ap ecu l iar b arbar ic k ind ; t hey b low i n to t he m a nd p roduce a h arsh s ound wh ich s u its t he t u mu lt o f war ." A s heet me ta l b oar ' sh ead f ound a t Deskford , B anf fsh ire i n 1 816, was s hown c onc lus ive ly b y P iggot t ( 1 959) t o h ave b een a c arnyx mou thp iece , l i ke t hose o n t he c o ins o f t he Ca tuvel l aun i ( Mack ,

1 964 : N o .

2 23) .

C o ins o f t he Br i t ish p re-Ro man

I ron Age f requent ly c arry r e l iefs o f b oars, p ar t icu lar ly t hose o f T asc iovanus, C unobe l in , D ubnovel l aunus a nd t he I cen i ( P iggot t,

1 959) .

T ha t t he b oar was o f c onsequence t o t he Ce l ts t herefore i s c lear . Wha t i s i n terest ing i s t ha t t he s i tua t ion c hanged w ith t he Ro man p er iod. The b oar b ecame o ne among many o f t he s pec ies p or trayed b y t he Ro man a r t ists , i nc lud ing e xo t ic n on-European a n i ma ls. I ts i mpor tance i n t he I ron Age p er iod i s e xposed b y t he e xc lus iveness o f t he C el t ic c ho ice ;

o n ly b oar , o x , r am

a nd c er ta in b irds were c hosen t o b e p or trayed i n s ign if ican t n u mbers. 5

Meare , S omerse t

b e low

F ig. 2

Boar f igur ine f ro m Meare , S o merset . t he b ack .

C : s how ing g roove a long

BOARS OF I RON AGE DATE We h ave s een t ha t t he b oar i s f ound i n aw ide r ange o f c on tex ts i n E urope i n t he p re-Ro man I ron Age a nd l a ter ( Cf . Werner ,

1 949) .

I t h as

b een t he c usto m t o c o mpare t he Br it ish b ronze b oar f i gur ines w ith o thers f ro m t he c on t inen t , t he wel nown e xamp les o f wh ich a re C e lt ic i n s ty le l k a nd p resu mab ly p re-Ro man I ron Age i n d a te . " Ce l t ic"

T he c on t inen ta l b oars i n a

s ty le a re wel lustra ted b y t he b oar f ro m Ba ta , H ungary , w ith l i l

a n e xaggera ted a nd d ecora t ive s p ina l c rest ( Cf . J acobstha l , T h is i s f requen t ly c o mpared t o t he b oar f ro m H ouns low ( B ,

1 944 : N o . F ig .

3 71) .

5 ) , t yp ica l

C e lt ic f ea tures b e ing t he o penwork c rest ( no l onger i ntact o n t he H ouns low e xamp le) , a nd t he h igh ly s ty l ised manner o f t he d esign . a bstract c er ta in f eatures,

e .g . t he l egs ,

T he a b i l i ty t o

a nd t o e labora te o thers, p ar t icu-

l ar ly t he c rest a nd e nor mous e ars, i s c haracter ist ic o f t he C e lt ic a r t s ty le . V ery f ew o f t he b oars may b e d a ted o n s ty l ist ic g rounds b y d raw ing p aral le ls w i th o b jects o n t he c on t inen t ,

as itua t ion n ot a ided b y t he f act t ha t f ew , h ere

o r a broad , h ave p roper a ssoc ia t ions i n s tra t if ied c on tex ts . Twen tytwo b ronze b oar f i gur ines f ro m Br ita in a re k nown t o t he wr iter . T hey a re b o th I ron Age a nd Roman i n d a te , a nd o f t hese o n ly t hree a re s tra t if ied , a nd t wo a re n ow l os t.

l b I t w il e a pprec ia ted t ha t t h is r a ises a

n umber o f p roble ms i n a ccura tely d a t ing t he o b jects. O f t he p re-Ro man I ron Age b oars w i th s o me s or t o f a ssoc ia t ion , t ha t l age f ro m Meare L ake V il , S o merset i s p robab ly t he e ar l iest f i gur ine f ound i n B r ita in ( F ig .

2 ) .

le ( Gray a nd B ul id ,

T he b oar i s d escr ibed i n t he t ex t

1 953 :223) a s f ound o n t he s econd f l oor o f Mound XV . I I ( P la te XXX I ) i ti s s hown o n Mound X I ,

a nd N o .

O n t he p lan ,

5 3 ( bronze b oar ) i s i nc luded

I I i n t he l i st o f o b jects s a id t o h ave c o me f ro m Mound X I n ot XV . t ake i s n o d oubt d ue t o o ver lapp ing o f t he mounds . ma ter ia l f ro m t he s i te was n eg l ig ib le ,

h owever , T h is m is-

T he amoun t o f R o man

a nd o n s ty l ist ic g rounds a lone i t s ee ms

r easonab le t o a scr ibe t he f i gur ine t o t he p re-Ro man I ron Age ; t he e nor mous e ars a nd s tocky u nshaped l egs s how n o s igns o f R o man i n f luence . ly d T he s i te was o r ig inal a ted t o c . 1 50 B . C . u n t i l t he R o man c onquest , b e ing i nc luded w ith G lastonbury i n t he T h ird S outhwestern B o f Hawkes ' t ery a s che me ( 1959) , o n t he b as is o f t he p ot nd v ar ious i mpor ted me ta l o be j ects . Mos t o f t he f i bu lae a re L a r ene I I t ype , i nc lud ing a d eve loped L a r ene I I Nauhe im f i bu la , w ith o n ly o ne L a T ene I a nd o ne L a T ene I le f i bu lae ( Gray a nd B ul id ,

1 953 : Vo l .

r ecent e xcava t ions ( Avery ,

1 968) was i dent if ied b y D .

2 , 2 05-208 ) .

A c o in f ound i n t he F .

l A len a s Breton ,

l l on p robab ly a b i lon o f t he C oroso l ites; s im i lar c o ins o ccur i n t he L a Ca t il h oard ,

l en C . 5 0 B . C . ( Al ,

1 958 ) .

l i T h is t ends t o c on f ir m t he o veral mpres-

s ion t ha t o ccupa t ion a t Meare b egan d ur ing t he t h ird c entury B .C ., p anded a s A very s uggests ,

a nd e x-

i n t he s econd c entury , t he ma jor ity o f t he f i nds

ling b f al etween 1 50 B .C. a nd c . 1 B .C.

The b oar i s l ike ly t o h ave r eached

t he s i te t here fore d ur ing t he l a ter p ar t o f t he p re-Ro man I ron Age. T he o n ly o ther b oar f ound i n a n u ndoubted ly p re-Ro man c on tex t ( F igs. 3a nd 4 ) i s t ha t f ro m t he L exden Tu mu lus , Co lchester , Essex ( Laver , 1 927 a nd F oster ,

i n p repara t ion ).

T he f igur ine h as b een d a ted t o t he Be lg ic

7

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T hree v iews o f b oar f igur ine f rom L exden ' T u mu lus , E ssex . S ca le 1 :1.

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V iew f r om b e low F ig . 4

T hree v iews o f b oar f i gur ine f ro m L exden T u mu lus , Essex . S ca le 1 :1.

p er iod ( Megaw ,

1 963 ,

3 2) ,

a nd T oynbee r egards i t a s Gau l ish , a s i t r ese mb les

c lose ly t he s ow f ro m Cahors, a nd t he b oar f ro m L uxembourg ( Con t inen ta l Ca ta logue , N os .

4a nd 1 0 ; T oynbee ,

I t i s c once ivab le t ha t t he b oar

1 964 :39 ) . was made a nd i mpor ted f ro m t he R o man

wor ld , p ar t icu lar ly a s many o f t he o ther o b jects f ro m t he t u mu lus a re p rob ab ly i mpor ts . T he o ld t heory t ha t L exden was t he g rave o f C unobe l in , a nd d a ted t herefore t o c . 4 0 A .D ., h as b een c r it ic ised b y Peacock ( 1971) a s ar esu lt o f h is s tudy o f t he amphorae f ro m t he T umu lus .

H e f e lt t ha t

t he b ur ia l wou ld b e more r easonab ly d a ted t o t he l ast 1 5 y ears B . C. ,w h ich w ou ld c o inc ide wel ;th t he d a te o f as i lver meda l ion o f Augustus, a lso l w l f ound ; n t he g rave , m in ted i n 1 7 B .C . a nd i ne xcel t c ond it ion . Peacock l en c onc luded t ha t i f t he t u mu lus was r a ised i n 4 0 A .D . ,t he Dresse l 1 amphorae , i n p ar t icu lar , w ou ld b e a rcha ic a dd it ions t o t he g rave . Recen t f i nds o f amphorae i n t he Drammon t D s h ipwreck i n t he Med iterranean , h owever , ( L iou , 1 973 :595-8 ) s how t ha t Dresse l 5a nd R hod ian amphorae , p aral le led i n t he L exden g rave , w ere s t il l b e ing c arr ied i n 4 0-50 A .D . T he d a te f or t he c argo i s b ased o n Arret ine p ot nd p ot a mps . t ery a tery l amphorae were n ot e xpor ted f ro m I t a ly a f ter c . 1 5 B .C ., t ha t t hey r eached B r ita in l a ter .

A l though Dresse l 1 i t i s c once ivab le

I t i s t herefore d if f icu lt t o g ive a more

p rec ise d a te f or t he g rave t han t ha t p roposed i n t he o r ig ina l p ub lica t ion , c .

1 5 B .C .

40 A .D .

F ur ther e v idence wh ich c onf irms a genera l d a te i n t he l a ter p re-Roman I ron Age i s p rov ided b y aq uan t ita t ive a na lys is o f t he v ar ious meta l c o mpon en ts i n t he b oar , t he p edesta l a nd o ne o f t he p ins f ro m L exden ( \ Verner a nd Craddock , 1 971) , Most R o man s ta tuary o f t he f i rst c en tury A .D . c ont a ined a t l east 6% l ead a nd a bout 1 0% tn . T he a na lyses p roved t he p edesta l t o b e o f c lass ica l o r ig in , a s e xpected , a nd t he b ronze o f t he s tud u nquest iona b ly C e lt ic manufacture ( a lthough f or a n a na lys is o f t he r ed e name l s ee Hughes , 1 972 ) .

T he c o mpos it ion o f t he b oar i s s im i lar t o t ha t o f t he s tud ;

a pparen t ly i t w ou ld b e u nusua l, b ut n ot u n ique , f or a R o man b ronze . B ecause o f i t s r a ther r epresen ta t iona l s ty le c o mpared w ith t he o ther I ron Age e xamp les, t he p oss ib i l ity o f Ro man manu facture c anno t b e r u led o u t , h owever . I t i s i n teres t ing t o n o te t he c hange i n s ty le t ha t t ook p lace b etween t he manufac ture o f t he t yp ical ly ' Ce l t ic ' b oars , a nd t ha t f rom L exden . Iw ou ld a ccep t Kendr ick 's c on trast b etween t he a bs trac t ion o f t he Houns low b oar a nd t he n a tura l is m o f t he L exden o ne ( 1938 :14 ).

T h is b oar i s o ne o f t he f ines t e xa mp les o f Ro man

s ty le meta lwork d iscovered i n Br ita in. T he t hree most f a mous B r it ish b oars , o f u ndoubted I ron A ge d ate , were r ecovered b y l abourers f ro m a fi e ld n ear H ouns low i n 1 864 . They were p resen ted t o t he B r it ish Museu m i n t he s ame y ear .

The a n i ma ls h ave

b een p ra ised many t imes f or t he c are o f t he ir d es ign , t yp ica l o f t he C e l t ic l s ty le ; Megaw f or e xamp le makes t he f o low ing c o mmen t ,

"The H ouns low

a n i ma ls .. a re made t o af ormu la , b ut a f or mu la wh ich i s b ased o n a la c arefu l d is t il t ion o f t he e ssen t ia l e le men ts o f n ature" . ( 1970 , 1 39) . T hese b oars a re s o met i mes h e ld t o b e s im i lar t o c on t inen ta l b oar f i gur ines b u t t he f i rst , t ha t i s ,

H ouns low A ( F ig . 5 ) i s u n ique ,

l a nd h as n o c lose p ara le ls; e xcep t

ly a f or t he g eneral bstracted n a ture o f i t s d es ign , t he emphas ised

c rest a nd e ye .

T he f i gur ine a ppears t o h ave h ad s o me k ind o f s tand , w h ich

1 0

H ouns low , M idd lesex A

d b e low

e

b H ouns low, M idd lesex B

f

g

F ig . 5

B oar f igur ines A a nd B f ro m Houns low , M idd lesex .

S ca le 1 : 1.

H oun s low , M idd le sex C

a bov e

-

Yy

Wood ingdean , S us s ex

b e low F ig . 6

Boar f i gur ines C f ro m Houns low , M idd lesex , a nd b oar f igur ine f rom Wood ingdean , S ussex .

S ca le 1 : 1.

i nd ica tes t ha t t he f igure was f ree-stand ing ; most o f t h is h as n ow p er ished. Houns low B ( Fig . 5 ) h as b een d iscussed b y many d if feren t a uthors a nd i s c o mparab le t o an u mber o f b oars o n t he c on t inen t , p ar t icu lar ly t hose f ro m Bata a nd L uncan i. I th as a trac ted a g reat d ea l o f a dm ira t ion , b e ing , a ccordt i ng t o T oynbee , " as a bstrac t a s a ny r epresen ta t iona l works o f a r t c an b e... ( express ing ) i n s i mp le s oph is t ica ted t erms , t he r an t b u i ld a nd r e len t less v igour o f t hese c rea tures".

( 1 964 :24 ).

The g rea t c res t w h ich i s s uch a

p ro m inen t f eature o f C e lt ic b oar f igur ines , t hough n o t a s e labora te a s t hat f ro m Luncan i , a nd n ow b roken , h e lps t o j us t ify t he r e marks t ha t h ave b een made a bou t t h is f igure. I n t erms o f a es thet ic a ppea l , i ti s c lumsy c o mpared t o Houns low C ( be low ), w ith a careless ly model l ed t a il a nd s nou t ; i td oes n ot c onvey t he c haracter o f t he b oar , wh ich i s s o d e l ight ful isp layed i n t he ly d s uperb c ar ica ture f ro m Wood ingdean .

T here c an b e n o d oub t , h owever , t ha t

t he Ce l t ic c ra f ts man h as s urpassed h i mse l f i n t h is f igure i n r educ ing t he b oar t o i t s b ares t e ssen t ia ls cres t , e ars a nd s nou t . Houns low C ( F ig . 6 ) i s a de l ica te f igur ine , more c areful ast t han many ly c o f t he b oars f ro m Europe , whose c harm l i es r a ther i n w e igh t a nd s tocky f eatures.

T he c res t , o r ig ina ly o penwork w ith p unched h o les , i s n ow u nl

f or tuna te ly b roken b u t e nough r e ma ins f or i t s r econstruct ion .

Un l ike many

o f t he f igur ines , t h is s t il eta ins t he o r ig ina l s ur face o n i t s f l anks a nd c rest , l r w here marks o f f i l ing c an b e s een . T h is f igur ine i s g eneral gnored i n ly i d iscuss ions o f t he H ouns low b oars , a nd y et i s a s s ens it ive a s a ny Ce l t ic work o f a r t. Fox f e l t t hat t he Houns low b oars were d ef in ite ly d es igned a s h e l met c rests , i ndeed b oars B a nd C h ave s l igh t " pegs" o n a l f our f eet . More p robab ly t he l i n ten t ion w as f or t he m t o b e f i xed o n to s tands l ike Houns low A .

I ti s p oss ib le

t ha t Houns low C was d es igned f or s uspens ion . A s im i lar b oar f ro m J oeuvres o pp idu m i n t he Lo ire , France , f or e xa mp le , i s p rov ided w ith t wo h o les t hrough t he c res t , a nd a lthough t h is may b e p ure ly d ecora t ion , D eche let e l t t hat i t te f w as a n amu le t t o b e h ung a round t he n eck ( Deche let , 1 927 , I V , 8 13 ). A te more c onv inc ing e xamp le o f t h is i s t ha t f ro m t he A l tenburg -Rhe inau o pp idu m , ac rude ly c as t a n i ma l w ith a r ing a bove t he t a i l ( F ischer , 1 974 , 1 59 ). O f t he o ther s upposed ly I ron Age b oars , o n ly o ne h as a ny a ssoc ia t ion wh ich migh t h e lp w ith d a t ing . T ha t f ro m Wood ingdean , n ear Br igh ton , S ussex , ( F ig . 6 ) i s s a id t o h ave b een f ound w ith a s wan 's n eck p in ( Curwen , 1 954 , F ig . 7 2 ). Th is i s mos t s im ilar t o t he d eve loped l oca l Br it ish p in , w ith a p la in h ead b en t a t r igh ta ng les t o t he s te m .

T he c loses t p aral l i s le

t he o ne f rom Woodea ton , Ox fordsh ire ( Dunn ing , 1 935 ). T hese p ins a re d a ted t o b e fore t he t h ird c entury B .C. ,a nd s ty l ist ical here i s n o d i f icu l ty ly t f i n p lac ing t he b oar i n t ha t p er iod .

A lthough i ti s n o t t yp ica l o f t he d eve loped

L a f ene f i gur ines , Iwou ld a gree w ith L eeds t ha t i ti s t he b est o f t he Br it ish I ron Age b oars. Two o ther S ussex b oars h ave b een g iven a nI ron Age , o r a t l east a preRo man d a te.

One was r ecorded b y Mr . T o ms ( To ms , 1 907 a nd 1 918 ) a s

b e ing f ound b y a market g ardener w h ilst d igg ing i n h is g arden b eh ind S t . Mary 's H al own , Br igh ton , i n t he d ecade b efore 1 918. l, Ke mp T

T he

g ardener w as a n a v id c ol tor o f a n t iqu it ies , i nc lud ing Ro man p ot , l ec t ery

1 3

a

a bove

b e low

E as t S us sex

?

))

1

/

eji

•

J r/ 7

a bov e

b e low

E a s t L ondon F ig. 7

Boar f igur ines f ro m East S ussex a nd East L ondon.

S ca le 1 :1.

c o ins a nd b rooches , b u t t he b oar w as a pparen t ly l ost w ithou t t race s oon a f ter d iscovery . Mr. To ms e xpressed a hope t ha t " i t wou ld c o me t o l i gh t when t he g arden w as d ug o ver a ga in". ( 1918 , 4 ) . T o ms c ompared i tf avourab ly w ith t he Wood ingdean b oar ; i tw as s a id t o b e o f as im i lar s ize , b u t t h is must r e ma in u nsubstan t ia ted.

O ther f inds f ro m t he s i te i nc lude Ro mano-Br it ish

p ot nd af i bu la . T he s i te i s p robab ly a smal ura l f arm o f t he t ype t ha t t ery a l r c over t he S ou th Downs a nd w here , i nvar iab ly , I ron Age o ccupa t ion c on t inues w ith l i t le c hange i n to t he Ro man p er iod ( Cun l if , 1 973 :96 ). t fe Even more e lus ive i s t he b oar f ro m " East S ussex" , n ow i n Barb ican House Museum , L ewes ( F ig . 7 ) w h ich h as n o a ssoc ia t ions o r k nown p rovenance. T he d a te o f i t s a rr iva l a t t he Museu m a nd t he i den t ity o f t he d onor a re a lso u nknown , a l though i t must h ave b een r ece ived a f ter 1 866 when t he a n t iqu it ies i n t he c as t le w ere c a ta logued ( Lower a nd Chapman , 1 866 ), a nd i t was k nown t o T o ms i n 1 907 ( 489-90 ). I th as b een a scr ibed t o t he I ron Age , h owever , a nd t here s eems n o r eason t o d oub t t h is o n t he b as is o f s ty le. T he c rudeness o f t he c as t ing a nd t he c orros ion d ue t o a ct ive b ronze d isease makes f ur ther c om men t i mposs ib le. Another f igur ine o fu nknown p rovenance , c lose ly s im i lar t o t he L ewes b oar , i s i n t he Roach Sm i th c ol l ec t ion i n t he Br it ish Museu m . I ti s s a id t o h ave b een f ound i n Eas t L ondon i n 1 865 , a nd was i n t he Br it ish Museum i n 1 930 ( Vul , lia my 1 930 :134 ). A r a ther s hape less a n i ma l , p ar t ial ly h idden b y e x tens ive c orros ion , i tw ou ld b e o n ly t en ta t ive ly r ecogn ised a s a boar w ere i tn o t f or i t s r ese mb lance t o t he L ewes b oar . ( F ig . 7 ) . An i nde term ina te a n i ma l , o bv ious ly i n tended t o r epresen t a boar , h as b een i n t he A sh mo lean Museum , Ox ford , s ince 1 931, w ith n o more i n format i on a t tached t o i tt han t hat i tc a me f ro m G ower Cave , Rhoss il ly , G la morgans h ire ( F ig . 8 ) .

Professor G r i mes i nforms me ( pr iva te c o mmun icat ion ) t ha t

t he c ave i s o ne o f as er ies o n t he G ower P en insu la , wh ich w ere d ug i n to b y a nu mber o fp eop le i n t he e ar ly p ar t o f t h is c en tury , p roduc ing f i nds o f a l l p er iods f rom t he P a laeo l ith ic o nwards.

T he b oar h as t herefore n o e xac t

p rovenance a nd n o a ssoc ia t ions. I ta ppears t o b e u npub l ished , a l though i t was men t ioned b y Gray a nd B ul le id ( 1953 :224 ). T he o ther b oar f i gur ine f rom Wa les i s a lso u nstra t if ied a nd w ithou t a ssoc ia t ions . I n 1 911 i t was p r iva te ly owned b y Ma jor My ton f rom Bar th , G u i lsf ie ld , a nd i t was s a id t o h ave b een d ug u p i n t he g arden o f 2 6 S evern S treet , We lshpoo l.

T h is i n f ac t i s t he s ame f igur ine a s t ha t p ub l ished b y

l i t he Rev . B arnwel n 1 871 ( pp . 1 63-7 ), a nd f ound " so me y ears a go w ith in a n a nc ien t w ork i n Mon tgo merysh ire , c al l ed G aer-Fawr ," wh ich was owned b y Ma jor My ton a t t ha t t ime. T he b oar w as c ons idered b y Barnwel l t o h ave " none o f t he o u t l ines o f a n i ma l f orm s o c o m mon i n C el t ic w ork , b u t i nstead t hereof a w onder fu l amoun t o f f i de l ity a nd s p ir it f ound i n g ood p roduct ion o f Roman a r t". He h ad n o d oubt a s t o i t s o r ig ins : i t was a r epresen ta t ion o f t he Twen t ie th L eg ion 's b adge ( see b e low , p . 1 9 ).

I n f act G aer F awr i s a

mu lt ival la te h i l lfor t ( Map o f S outhern Br ita in i n t he I ron Age , Ref . S J 2 24130 ). T he s ty le o f t h is b oar i s t oo c rude t o b e t yp ical l y Roman , a nd w ith t he l ong i nc is ion a long i t s b el ly ( F ig . 8a nd P late I Vc ) s ee ms b et t er f i t ted a s a C e lt ic h elmet emble m , t han t he l eg ionary b adge o f aRo man s o ld ier .

1 5

r n 7

: e i _i 4 1 2 :3 1 k. . _

-

Gower p en insu la, G lamo rgansh ire

\ ; „ . . . .