Roman Bronze Lion Lock with Red Resin Inlay

Roman, Imperial period. A cast leaded bronze lock bolt from a Roman padlock, its upper edge crowned by a recumbent lion modeled in the round, forelegs extended and mane rendered in short chased strokes. The shank runs forward to a rounded terminal, while a perforated lug drops below the body to receive the shackle or key ward of the mechanism. A circular red inlay set into the crest above the animal replaces the lost original filling, added by a later collector's hand rather than a Roman one, and elemental analysis of its silicon and magnesium rich composition confirms the substitution. Locks of this type secured chests, doors, and strongboxes across the empire, and the lion, guardian and emblem of vigilance, was the favored beast for hardware whose whole purpose was to keep watch. Roman locksmithing was a mature industrial craft by the first century CE. Bolts, hasps, and barb-spring padlocks were produced in standardized forms across provincial workshops, and the wealthier grades were dressed with cast animal finials: lions, hounds, horses, and panthers. The lion carried a double charge of meaning here, at once apotropaic guardian and a boast of the owner's means, since ornamental hardware cost several times what a plain bolt did. Leaded bronze was the alloy of choice for such fittings. Lead contents approaching a fifth of the mass lowered the melting point and improved the flow of metal into fine detail, making crisply cast manes and muzzles possible in a workaday object. The trade-off was a softer, more brittle metal, which is why so many surviving Roman lock elements are recovered detached from their mechanisms. Please note that this piece contains up to 22% lead. Item # 204579

Estimate:$250

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