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Loading... The Berthouville Silver Treasure and Roman Luxuryby Kenneth Lapatin (Editor)
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In 1830 a farmer plowing a field near the village of Berthouville in Normandy, France, discovered a trove of ancient Roman silver objects weighing some 55 pounds (25 kilograms). The Berthouville treasure, as the find came to be known, includes two statuettes representing the Gallo-Roman god Mercury and approximately sixty vessels--bowls, cups, pitchers, and plates, many of which bear votive inscriptions--along with dozens of smaller components and fragments. Dedicated to Mercury by various individuals, the treasure, including some of the finest ancient Roman silver to survive, fortunately escaped being melted down. It was acquired by the Cabinet des médailles et antiques of the Bibliothèque Royale (now the Département des Monnaies, médailles et antiques of the Bibliothèque nationale de France), where it was displayed until late 2010, when it was brought in its entirety to the Getty Villa together with four large, late antique silver plates, each with its own colorful history, for comprehensive conservation treatment. This sumptuously illustrated volume is published to accompany an exhibition of the same name, opening at the Getty Villa on November 18, 2014. It presents the highlights of the treasure and other Roman luxury arts from the holdings of the Cabinet des médailles--including precious gems, jewelry, gold coins, and colored marbles--and contextualizes them in a series of elucidating essays. No library descriptions found. |
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 Google Books — Loading...GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)739.2The arts Sculpture and related arts Art metal-work Jewelry making and precious metal workLC ClassificationRatingAverage: No ratings.Is this you?Become a LibraryThing Author. |
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Wikipedia in English (1)
The volume under review consists of six essays exploring different aspects of the Treasure. Mathilde Avisseau-Broustet, Cécile Colonna, and Kenneth Lapatin provide the context for the find in “The Berthouville Treasure: a discovery ‘As marvellous as it was expected’”. Léon Le Métayer-Masselin uncovered part of the sanctuary in 1861. The cella was found to have contained the base of a statue. Le Métayer-Masselin linked it to the inscribed statue base of a statue of Mercury “with its own shrine” (cum sua aede), dedicated to the imperial numen, that had been reused in the church of Saint-Germain-la-Campagne some 10 km away (pp. 11-12, fig. 3). Twelve Roman coins recovered during the excavations dated from 44 BC to the early fourth century (Constantine II). Father Camille de la Croix re-excavated the site in 1896 and revealed remains of the two temples. He also located the “stone-built cavity” where the treasure had been placed within the peribolos of the sanctuary (14). The excavation additionally found the site of a theatre, capable of seating 5000 people, about 65 metres from the sanctuary. In 2005 a geophysical survey conducted by Thierry Lepert revealed a wide ditch (140 by 150 metres) on a different orientation to the temple (15). This may provide evidence that the site was occupied during the second Iron Age (though not necessarily for religious purposes).