For Customers outside of USA

Heavy Genuine Ancient Roman (Province of Judaea) Bronze Leech-Style Bracelet With Punch Dot Design Circa 100 A.D.

CLASSIFICATION: Roman-Judaean Bronze Bracelet.

ATTRIBUTION: Eastern Roman Empire (Judaea), 1st Century A.D.

Outside Diameter: 79 x 72 millimeters.

Inside Diameter: 65 x 57 millimeters.

Band Thickness: 9 millimeters at top; 3 millimeters at bottom. Band Width: 11 millimeters at top; 4 millimeters at bottom.

Weight: 88.88 grams.

CONDITION: Good. Quite substantial and well-constructed. Moderate porosity (surface pitting caused by contact with earth while buried). Professionally conserved.

DETAIL: A fairly well preserved, heavy Roman bronze bracelet circa 1st century A.D. from the Province of Judaea. The style, which was also very popular in earrings, is known as a "leech" style for obvious reasons. As you can see (with some difficulty), the surface of the bracelet bears a fairly complex series of punch dot style decorative lines running parallel with the circumference on both sides of the bracelet. The bracelet is fairly large and would fit a gentleman of slender build, or most women, and with that caveat, is completely and eminently wearable. The bracelet was recovered unbroken and intact. As is ordinarily the case, the artifact exhibits a moderate amount of porosity (surface pitting caused by burial in earth). Unlike so many smaller bronze artifacts which are completely disfigured by corrosion, this particular piece happened to come to rest in reasonably gentle soil conditions.

The degree of porosity is relatively moderate - noticeable but not to the extent where the artifact's integrity is adversely affected. Of course in these photo enlargements the porosity is more pronounced - under magnification the evidence that this bracelet spent millennia buried beneath the ground unmistakable. However to the casual viewer the porosity is not so pronounced. In hand the bracelet simply appears a nicely toned bronze bracelet. The metal surfaces are nicely finished with good luster and the rich, warm glow of ancient bronze - lightly pebbled, but not crassly so. However the pebbled porosity does make it much more difficult to see the punch dot design which follows the circumference of the bracelet - it is best viewed toward the ends of the bracelet.

The bracelet is quite heavy in construction, sturdy and well constructed, and entirely intact. The bracelet possesses a very nice tone to it, is quite handsome, and makes a very distinctive and uncommon piece of ancient jewelry. It is a fairly elaborate style, especially with the engraved punch dot design, workmanship which would be characteristic of high-end jewelry. Although the "rich and famous" of course commissioned jewelry in silver and gold, nonetheless this is a fairly expensive piece, not the type of jewelry one would expect to find on the common Roman citizen. It is quite solidly built, a wonderful example of early Roman jewelry, and of unimpaired integrity. The bracelet possesses a very nice tone to it, is quite handsome, and makes a very distinctive and uncommon piece of ancient jewelry. Almost two thousand years after it was originally produced, it is still completely wearable, and could bring many years of wearing enjoyment to a new owner.

The Romans were very fond of jewelry and other personal adornments. Typical jewelry included bracelets worn both on the forearm as well as upper arm, rings, brooches, pendants, earrings, hair pins, as well as decorative buckles and fibulae. This is a very durable and representative example of a Roman bracelet, and could easily be worn and enjoyed on a frequent basis. If you prefer, upon request, we could mount the bracelet onto a framed display plaque (see it here), and it would make a great gift. The plaque narrates a brief outline of the history of the Roman Empire, along with a very nice image of ruins dating from the Roman Empire, and a map of the Roman Empire at its apex. It would make a great gift, for yourself or a friend, and would surely delight a son or daughter. It would not only make a very handsome display, but would be very educational as well. Worn as a bracelet this wonderful piece of ancient jewelry could easily be enjoyed on a daily basis. Whether worn or displayed (perhaps on a plaque), it is an evocative and authentic "souvenir" of the Roman Empire, the greatest military power, and one of the most advanced civilizations of the ancient world.

HISTORY: One of the greatest civilizations of recorded history was the ancient Roman Empire. In exchange for a very modest amount of contemporary currency, you can possess a small part of that great civilization in the form of a 2,000 year old piece of jewelry. The Roman civilization, in relative terms the greatest military power in the history of the world, was founded in the 8th century (B.C.). In the 4th Century (B.C.) the Romans were the dominant power on the Italian Peninsula, having defeated the Etruscans and Celts. In the 3rd Century (B.C.) the Romans conquered Sicily, and in the following century defeated Carthage, and controlled the Greece. Throughout the remainder of the 2nd Century (B.C.) the Roman Empire continued its gradual conquest of the Hellenistic (Greek Colonial) World by conquering Syria and Macedonia; and finally came to control Egypt in the 1st Century (B.C.).

The pinnacle of Roman power was achieved in the 1st Century (A.D.) as Rome conquered much of Britain and Western Europe. For a brief time, the era of "Pax Romana", a time of peace and consolidation reigned. Civilian emperors were the rule, and the culture flourished with a great deal of liberty enjoyed by the average Roman Citizen. However within 200 years the Roman Empire was in a state of steady decay, attacked by Germans, Goths, and Persians. In the 4th Century (A.D.) the Roman Empire was split between East and West. The Great Emperor Constantine temporarily arrested the decay of the Empire, but within a hundred years after his death the Persians captured Mesopotamia, Vandals infiltrated Gaul and Spain, and the Goths even sacked Rome itself. Most historians date the end of the Western Roman Empire to 476 (A.D.) when Emperor Romulus Augustus was deposed. However the Eastern Roman Empire (The Byzantine Empire) survived until the fall of Constantinople in 1453 A.D.

At its peak, the Roman Empire stretched from Britain in the West, throughout most of Western, Central, and Eastern Europe, and into Asia Minor. Valuables such as coins and jewelry were commonly buried for safekeeping, and inevitably these ancient citizens would succumb to one of the many perils of the ancient world. Oftentimes the survivors of these individuals did not know where the valuables had been buried, and today, two thousand years later caches of coins and rings are still commonly uncovered throughout Europe and Asia Minor. Roman Soldiers oftentimes came to possess large quantities of "booty" from their plunderous conquests, and routinely buried their treasure for safekeeping before they went into battle.

If they met their end in battle, most often the whereabouts of their treasure was likewise, unknown. Throughout history these treasures have been inadvertently discovered by farmers in their fields, uncovered by erosion, and the target of unsystematic searches by treasure seekers. With the introduction of metal detectors and other modern technologies to Eastern Europe in the past three or four decades, an amazing number of new finds are seeing the light of day 2,000 years or more after they were originally hidden by their past owners. And with the liberalization of post-Soviet Eastern Europe, new markets have opened eager to share in these treasures of the Roman Empire.

These antiquities come from a number of collections which by and large originated here in Eastern Europe. As well, additional specimens are occasionally acquired from other institutions and dealers, principally in Eastern Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean. All of these artifacts are now in the United States and are available for immediate delivery via U.S. Mail. All purchases are backed by an unlimited guarantee of satisfaction and authenticity. If for any reason you are not entirely satisfied with your purchase, you may return it for a complete and immediate refund of your entire purchase price.

SHIPPING: These antiquities come from a number of collections which by and large originated here in Eastern Europe. As well, additional specimens are occasionally acquired from other institutions and dealers, principally in Eastern Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean. All of these artifacts are now in the United States and are available for immediate delivery via U.S. Mail. All purchases are backed by an unlimited guarantee of satisfaction and authenticity. If for any reason you are not entirely satisfied with your purchase, you may return it for a complete and immediate refund of your entire purchase price. A certificate of authenticity (COA) is available upon request.

Our order fulfillment center near Seattle, Washington will ship your purchase within one business day of receipt of your personal check or money order. If you wish to pay electronically, we accept both PayPal and BidPay. However we ask that you PLEASE WAIT before remitting until we have mutually agreed upon method of shipment and shipping charges and you understand our PayPal limitations and policies (stated here). We will ship within one business day of our receipt of your electronic remittance.

A certificate of authenticity (COA) is available upon request. We prefer your personal check or money order over any other form of payment - and we will ship immediately upon receipt of your check (no "holds"). Please see our "ADDITIONAL TERMS OF SALE."