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Ave!

Gallo-Roman Figural Votive Plaque, Fragment c. 3rd Century AD

Such artifacts are also referred as "Danube Rider" or "Danube Mystery Cult" plaques

Lead; 95mm/50.7gm

Con/ Plow broken with scrapes; untouched as arrived

This is what it should present in entirety -

Rectangular type: above, fish swimming left

The 1st Tier: Writhing snakes facing inward and feeding from an urn/chalice. To left, bust of Luna on crescent moon; to right, radiate bust of Sol

The 2nd Tier: A pair of mounted horsemen (Castor and Pollux) each proceeding inward and flanking the standing facing figure of Epona, the sole Celtic divinity ultimately worshipped in Rome itself as the patroness of cavalry. To left, forepart of a ram, one leg raised; to right, a togate (?) figure. Beneath the horsemen, a pair of trampled enemies, supine, facing each other, one arm expended.

3rd Tier: left to right; tripod, eagle-topped standard, man kneeling left, hanging rabbit in a small tree, three pellets above an amphora, and a cockerel standing left on a ram's skull (bucranium).

Ref/ Ertl type F.1

Seller's Note/ Not sure if you are familiar with such plaques, but they were all about the Soli Invicto (Unconquered Sun) Cult that became very popular with the Roman military, especially with the cavalry troops. No one really knows where or how such plaques were displayed; small temples or household shrines being the general consistence among scholars.

And, again, the symbology seen on these plaques is rather confusing to our eyes as no one has been initiated into the secret cult for over 1,700 years. Maybe the Illuminati? Ha Ha! For instance, why a man hanging a rabbit in tree?

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