Pair of door knockers; Rome, 1st–2nd centuries A.D.

Pair of door knockers; Rome, 1st–2nd centuries AD.
Bronze.
Measurements: 7 x 2 cm.
Provenance: Family legacy of Ramon Martí Alsina and Ricard Martí Aguiló. Archaeological collection formed from the 1950s by successive generations of the family, through acquisitions in European galleries and auction houses.

Weight: 304 g (both).
Pair of wheel hubs for a Roman two-horse chariot or four-horse chariot, made of bronze. They can be dated to between the 1st and 2nd centuries A.D., that is, the height of the High Imperial period. Both finials are of the type known as “swan neck,” consisting of a long shaft of solid bronze ending in a swan’s head. Both heads are richly detailed, with the beaks, eyes, and—especially—the feathers clearly visible; such detailed featherwork was typically found only on high-quality finials. It is rare to find them as a pair. They come from an important collection of Spanish archaeology.