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Media Information
For Immediate Release
Here in Australia affordable 2000 years old Roman bronze artefacts
www.ancientshapes.com.au
We make pendants or medallions as well as picture frame displays by using ancient Roman and Medieval bronze items and iron arrowheads Price for a pendant from $40.00, framed arrowhead from $69.00.
The Ancient Roman, Bronze Artifacts dated from 100 AD to 400 AD, include belt buckles, military belt ends, belt stiffeners, chariot cart mounts, belt mounts, strap studs, ornaments, brooches, arrowheads, fire starters, terret rings (horse), keys, lock pins, etc.
Where were the artefacts found and how can Ancient Shapes purchase them?
Ancient artefacts are more common than is generally believed. Most ancient cultures existed for very long periods of time, had large territories and populations of millions of people. In fact at the peak of the Roman Empire (100 - 300AD) the population was 50-60 million.
Many artifacts of the ancient world haven't been destroyed; they have just been lost and buried. European metal detector enthusiasts supply Ancient Shapes with bronze artifacts. These people have maps identifying ancient battlefields (usually farm areas today). Agreements are struck with the farmers and any finds are divided. Most countries in Europe have restricting the export of ancient artifacts leaving the supply of such items at risk in the future, however most of the artifacts (low cost small items) we sell come from Europe, are at the present abundantly available and easily exported with little or no restrictions. A special licence is usually needed from the country that allows the export of large expensive high grade artifacts. We specialise in small low cost items where a licence is not required from the country we export from.
Our reference books have identified 90% of the items we sell. If you can prove that the item you have purchased is not what we claim it is (Roman or Medieval) please send it back and we will refund your purchase price, no questions asked. We take great care in ensuring every item we have for sale is ancient and from the time and culture to which it is attributed. We use reference books and supplier details to establish the authenticity of all our artifacts. A descriptive statement is supplied with the purchase of each item.
About Our Artifacts
Bronze alloy was most likely discovered by accident sometime before 3,000 BC. Prior to that, (about 4,000 BC), people livings in Mesopotamia (the Near East) were mainly using three metals: gold, silver, and copper. Copper was probably the first metal used for industrial purposes, that is, for making weapons and tools.
For about 2,000 years, from around 3,000 BC to 1,000 BC, bronze was the most important metal used by people for industrial purposes. The use of tools made of iron began to increase after 1,000 BC. Like the Greeks and Egyptians before them, the Romans used bronze in numerous ways, including bronze pots and pans, belts brooches for fastening clothes, armor and many military items. Additionally, in private homes and gardens, in public places like the Roman Forum, figurines, statues of gods, athletes, heroes, and government officials were all made of bronze. The metal that the Romans produced was central to the success of the Roman Empire. As bronze ages it's colour changes from a bright gold to green or brown leaving a wonderful looking patina.
Because of its high copper content, bronze, normally reddish gold in color, gradually develops a blue-green patina as the surface interacts with oxygen and other elements in the air.
(Ancient bronze is an alloy of copper and tin and sometimes zinc)
How do I know
these artifacts are real?
European metal detector enthusiasts supply Ancient Shapes with bronze artifacts. These people have maps identifying ancient battlefields (usually farm areas today). Agreements are struck with the farmers and any finds are usually equally divided. Most countries in Europe are now restricting the export of ancient artifacts leaving the supply of such items at risk in the future. When the supply is further restricted ancient relics that are now in circulation will increase in value.
Reference Books, which include university publications, are used to categorise and date (to the nearest century) each item we sell. We tend to purchase items that are easy to categorise, like iron arrowheads, brooches fire starters and small bronze items.
It has become obvious to all antiquity dealers that items like bronze brooches, iron arrowheads and fire starters are indeed genuine. Expensive Relics made of gold or silver such as coins and jewellery are more likely to be at risk of being fakes. Large bronze statue relics have to be studied carefully for authenticity.
Most of the Roman artifacts we sell are made from bronze, characteristic of ancient times.
We have used Ancient Roman, Byzantine and Medieval items from100 AD to 1600 AD, which include belt buckles, military belt ends, belt stiffeners, chariot cart mounts, belt mounts, strap studs, ornaments, brooches, arrowheads, fire starters, terret rings (horse), keys, lock bits, etc. and have made some very interesting pendants or medallions as well as picture frame displays.
Many ancient belt buckles or strap ends etc make handsome pendants. With the addition of a leather cord, they can be worn and enjoyed as an authentic “souvenirs” of the Roman Empire. We are sure that the original owner would not disapprove, as the Romans were quite fond of wearing ornamental pendants, brooches and pins.
The Romans decorated their horses with bronze items. Medallions and strap decorative items were used extensively.
Strap Junctions
Roman bronze Chest and Urn handles 300 AD
Roman bronze ring key, lock pin and iron door key
The Christian cross pendant from the Roman and Byzantine era was very common in its time. Byzantine Christian soldiers would wear an emblem of their faith as they entered battle. A thick green or brown patina covers the surface of these items.
Toga Stola and Palla Priest’s Toga
The
standard dress worn by Roman citizens was the toga for men and the
stola for women.
Basically it was a large blanket, draped over the body, leaving one arm free. A
fibula or brooch was usually attached to hold it together.
Through experiments historians have concluded that the vast blanket took the
form of a semi circle. It was up to 5 1/2 metres long and at its widest point
would have been up to 2 metres wide.
The stola was as much the national costume for women as the toga
was for men.
In early Rome, women at first wore the toga, dressing in the same fashion
as men. A few decades later female clothing began to differ.
Rings
Rings were also increasingly popular forms of Roman jewellery. In the first and second centuries rings were often worn on all ten fingers, although predominantly above the knuckle, not below as in modern times. Rings were made from gold, bronze, silver, copper, lead and even iron.
Many Byzantine finger rings came to bear Christian symbols, more often of gilded bronze than of Gold.
Roman belts, strap ends, buckles, belt studs, belt stiffeners, leather apron decorations and armor 100-300AD
The belt was mainly used as a suspension method to support the sword and dagger. Sometimes two belts were worn, one for the sword and one for the dagger. Infantry belts were decorated by attaching narrow and wide bronze plates. The narrow plates were called belt stiffeners.
Bronze Belt Stiffener
This type was used by the Roman legionnaires to decorate their belts. Belt stiffeners were used to support the weight of the sword and stop the belt from curling.
The legionnaire’s apron was decorated with bronze studs and medallions such as this one displayed.
Weapons
A range of spear types seem to have been used, from light javelins for skirmishers, to thrusting spears for infantry, right up to two-handed lances used by armored cavalry.
Iron Spearhead 100-1200AD
Most
arrowheads are very hard to categorize. Roman battlefields would have been
littered with weapons from the Roman armies, their allies and their enemies.
Certainly most of what is found today is a mixture of Roman era, Dark Ages &
Middle Ages. This period of time ranges from BC to about 1600 AD.
The English long bow made the English archer almost invincible, as they could
send arrows to their enemies from a distance that opposing archers could not
match.
Many different types and sizes of iron arrowheads were used over many centuries, but to simplify matters there were only a few categories that all types would fall under.
They could not be removed easily from a horse or a human, thereby requiring the arrow to be pushed through the flesh to be removed. Some of the arrow heads for this purpose were called swallow-tailed as they resembles the wings of a bird swept back
Anti-infantry arrowheads are very broad compared to the armor piercing arrowheads, which are heavy and narrow with sharp points, totally different to the anti-cavalry types.
Crossbow bolt 1200AD
Medieval Iron Knife
Percussion fire starting is the method that seems most commonly to have been in use in the Roman and Viking Age: This method utilizes a piece of high-carbon steel (sometimes bronze) and flint (or other hard stone plus a flammable substance that will ignite with a low-temperature spark.
Fire-steel is used to create a spark to land on a substance which is readily flammable and hold the ember long enough for spark to ignite a fire.
Bronze Arrowheads 500BC & fire starter
Bronze Arrowheads 1000BC & fire starter
This frame 43x35cm displays a Roman bronze Key & lock pin, iron arrowhead and bronze belt buckle. Included in this frame is antique steel engraved print of the Roman Emperor Galba, printed in 1884. Print Dealer authenticity statement is provided. $295.00
The iron arrowhead in this frame is dated 100 to 1500 AD. (Very hard to verify the exact date) You will also find one clay seal imprint made from an original Roman nautical bronze seal stamp), The bronze stamp is dated about 100AD. Two Roman coins are also included and dated about 300AD. $125.00
You can purchase one ancient iron arrowhead (300-1100 AD and a medieval belt buckle. Both items are mounted into a picture frame that was specially prepared using natural element such as clay to feature such items. $69.00
This frame (31x26cm) displays two ancient iron arrowheads (300-1200 AD). You will also find a Roman coin, dated about 300AD. These ancient items are mounted into a picture frame that was specially prepared using a number of natural elements such as clay and hessian material to feature such items. $125.00
This frame (23X28cm) displays a Roman top grade bronze brooch plate or fibular (without the pin), an iron arrowhead, bronze buckle and two Roman Coins. These ancient items are mounted into a picture frame that was specially prepared to feature such items. $125.00
This frame (30x39cm) displays an iron arrowhead and iron fire starter, both dated somewhere between 200AD to 1200AD. These ancient items are mounted into a beaten brass metal picture frame. $225.00
This ancient jewellery item was made using a Roman silver earring attached to a modern silver chain. ( Earring dated about 100 to 300 AD ). This item was found in Europe.
This ancient jewellery item was made using a 17th century bronze buckle and 12-14th century medieval brooch plate. These items were found in Europe.
www.ancientshapes.com
paul@ancientshapes.com
0423193427
Ancient Shapes
PO Box 2165
Carlingford 2118 NSW
Australia