Ancient Roman bronze folding knife handle with Lion

3rd-4th century AD

€ 375.00 VAT margin scheme

Article code: 26-0710

Ancient Roman bronze folding knife handle, cast in the form of a leaping lion with fine details. The lion is rendered with a stylised mane and facial features, while the rear section is decorated with incised geometric and linear motifs.

The lower edge retains the elongated slot and hinge construction for the now-missing folding blade.

Good and solid condition with an appealing olive-brown patina. The knife holds some fragments of the original iron knife. The sculptural lion remains clearly defined, and the form of the handle is well preserved. Signs of wear consistent with age and use.

Length: ± 66,4 mm

Quantity

Knives for hunting were generally made with bronze or bone handles and iron blades and were fashioned with straight, folding or with swivelling handles. Small knives, like our specimen, were mainly used in hunting.

They combined utility with decorative appeal, and many surviving examples show that even small personal objects could be made with considerable artistry. Their handles were often cast in bronze and fashioned into sculptural forms such as animals, human figures or mythological subjects, while the iron blade folded into the body of the handle for safer carrying.

These objects were useful implements, but they could also reflect personal taste, status and Roman appreciation for finely worked domestic items. Because the iron blades often corroded away over time, it is not unusual for the bronze handle to survive on its own.

Lions were strongly associated with Hercules as he strangled the Nemean Lion as one of his Twelve Labours. A lion's skin was one of Heracles' attributes.

For soldiers in the Roman army, the lion hunt was a favourite pastime. The Roman Imperial army included 'venatores' (hunters) in their ranks.