Ave!

Belt Mount, Dolphin-type, ca. 1st-2nd Cent. AD, Rare!

Copper alloy; 40mm/3.8gm

Con/ As Cast; dark green patina, cleaned not waxed.

Description/ Dolphin swimming left; eye and tail pierced for attaching to belt.

Ref/ A&L AA 8.32

Seller's Note/ A dolphin is such an odd adornment for a legionaries belt, huh?

Ground-found in a field near the Roman city of Mursa Major, an important military base located on the River Drava, (ca. 2nd-4th century) whose mission was to patrol the Drava down to where it met the Danube River against invaders, smugglers, and to escort simple trading ships safe to port.

Now, only surmising here, but perhaps such 'dolphin mounts' were worn only my Roman Marines to differentiate them from the common army legionnaires?

Not sure if this is a rare belt mount, but this is certainly the only one that we have presented over the last thirty years. You tell me.