Late Roman Empire, from Cyprus, ca. 4th to 6th century CE. A massive and ornate silver-plated bronze Tyche or Minerva decorated crossbow fibula. Scholar Simon J. N. Tomson discusses the piece as representing Tyche, the personification of a city and its fortunes; however, given the warrior-like characteristics, we also offer the possibility that the figure in fact represents the goddess Minerva. Custom, museum quality stand included. Size: 526 grams; fibula itself measures 7-1/4"H (180 mm) x 4-1/4" at widest point (105 mm); 7-3/8"H (187.3 mm) on stand.

According to Tomson, "The crossbow type was in fashion from the 4th to 6th century AD, several examples in precious metals are known. This example is probably far too large and heavy to have been used as a personal cloak fastener, instead it was probably commissioned to adorn the cult statue of a Tyche such as the marble example excavated from Caesarea, Israel, which survived to a height of 1.52m minus her head.” The closest parallel to the fibulas cast decoration is the four gilded silver Tyche statuettes of the 1793 Esquiline hoard from Rome. The four silver figures are thought to have been mounted on a sedan chair and depict Rome (187mm high, mass 728g), Constantinople (180mm high, mass 706g), Alexandria and Antioch, each are identified by their attributes (weapons, cornucopia, ship, river). Bow decorated with solid three-dimensional figure of the Tyche of Rome or Constantinople in the form of a plumed helmet wearing female torso with mamiform breastplate emerging from a torch flame. The body of the torch is in the form of a curved cornucopia terminating in a ram's head surmounted by a faceted city wall from which the torch flame emerges.Cast behind the Tyche's shoulders is a yoke shaped crossbar 105mm wide which terminates in large spherical grooved and ridged knops with central external bosses. Midway on the rear edge of the crossbar is a deep notch, probably intended to mount the missing pin, iron corrosion products block the cavity and match iron stains on the Tyche’s hair below the helmet line. Soldered onto the foot of the bow is a cast rectangular catch plate, 70mm x 22mm x 9mm, an elongated groove 57mm long has been cut into the edge providing the recess into which the pin was engaged. A pair of holes has been drilled through the crossbar; they are thought to be for mounting the pin chord (spring mechanism) assembly if and when one was provided. Cast into the upper surface of the crossbar are two symmetrical ‘S’ shaped swags, likewise on the upper and lower surfaces of the catch plate are ‘S’ shaped foliate grooves, ring-and-dot motifs and a large circular rebate with outer ring. The castings of bow, crossbar and catch-plate all appear unfinished, casting flaws have not been removed (particularly at the shoulders), the crossbar terminal knops are unfinished in their centers and the cast foliate grooves are unfilled although probably intended to take enamel or niello decoration and a gem stud insert. There are tool-marks on the torso casting and the surface of the cast metal is rough and unpolished. The artefact is therefore, in all probability, unfinished, the iron pin having been a temporary fixture. Some post depositional damage.

Provenance: Ex-private UK collection

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