They are part of a floral design, within a border, with flowers, stems and leaves.The individual marble pieces come from several countries, such as Turkey (central Turkey and the coast), the Aegean islands, mainland Greece and Italy.The porphyry came from Egypt, where there were just two quarries for this purple marble, under the control of the Emperor.They probably formed part of a piece of furniture, either imported or made at a specialist workshop.Perhaps it was a fine table in one of the main rooms of the villa. This method of inlaying carefully shaped and polished marble to form a pattern or picture, is known as opus sectile.
These delightful fragments raise so many questions, about trade in the Roman world, the skills of specialist craftsmen and the wealth of villa owners.
They are on display at Piddington Roman Villa Museum.
This astonishingly well preserved example of a chatelaine (collection of personal grooming objects), is a high-status object made to be seen as much as used.
This 12th century grave slab is located in the church of St Peter, Marefair in Northampton. It is thought to have been carved by the same sculptors as the beautifully preserved set of Norman capitals (headings of columns) in the church.
This screw pine fossil is a rare type specimen. Parts of Jurassic Northamptonshire were submerged in a shallow warm sea and tropical plants thrived on the nearby land.
© UNAS
© UNAS
©
NMAG
©
NMAG
©
Friends of St. Peter's Marefair Northampton by Rafal
©
NMAG