#FindsFriday Bronze harpy

This #FindsFriday we have a real beauty.

This is the Brightlingsea harpy – one of the most notable finds from the excavation, found in one of the Roman trackway ditches . [For those who don’t know, in Greco-Roman classical mythology, a harpy is a half-human and half-bird]🦅🦅🦅

What is it? A 95 mm tall leaded-bronze foot in the form of a Harpy perched on a feline paw. It would have been one of four feet, probably from a rectangular stove or drink warmer🍷

Where is it from? It was made in Campania, southern Italy🍕

When was it made? Early to mid 1st century.

Why was it made? As part of a regional tradition in which feet were separately cast with winged creatures onto rectangular or round items such as vessels for cooking🥘

To learn more: Check out CAT Report 1097 at cat.essex.ac.uk