Figurines Data

ID	1000
Images
Grid Ref	TL9925
Project type	Excavation
County	Essex
Site	Colchester
Site Name	Culver Street
Site Type	Colonia
Location Type	Site B
Context	Dump levels
Context Quality	3
Site Date	C1-4
Context Date	C2-3
Object Period	0
Material	Bronze
Other finds from site	jet eagle head, pipeclay Minerva and other goddess, pipeclay aedicula, pedestal base 1001
Location	Colchester Castle Museum
Ref No	COLEM 1991.1.992
Form	Figurine
Type	Animal
Name	Lion
Bearded	No
Standing/Seated	Reclining
Clothed	No
Drapery	No
Condition	Good, slight corrosion and wear
Classical	1
Quality	Classical 3
Photo	Yes
Illustration	Yes
Height	31.00
Length	45.00
Parallels	Hanbury (685)
References	Crummy 1992a, 192-3, fig. 5.61 no 1702 [Link to Bibliography]
Description	The animal is lying in a formal pose with head raised and tail curled over the left near quarter. The mane is corroded but was obviously luxuriant. . . The underside is hollow and possibly provided a means of attachment (eg soldering), perhaps to a piece of furniture or a large metal vessel. This lion is remarkably similar in size and pose to that from Hanbury, Worcestershire (Symons 1985) and the two almost certainly share a common function, possibly even deriving from the same workshop, though they are not from the same mould. To give but two examples of differences, the ribs on the Hanbury lion curve in the opposite direction to those on the Colchester animal, and the top of each of its forelegs is delineated by a fringe of short incised grooves (Crummy).