File:Figurine (FindID 585895).jpg

English: A complete copper-alloy zoomorphic Roman figurine in the form of a turtle or tortoise.

It is sub-oval in plan, D-shaped in section with a flat belly. The shell has a prominent longitudinal curved ridge, running down its centre from the head to the tail. The turtle/tortoise has four small projecting semi-circular knops that represent the front and back legs. There is a similar larger knop for the head and an elongated curved knop for the tail.

This figurine measures 43.62mm in length, 33.76mm in width, 12.87mm in thickness, 39.57g in weight.

There are similar examples recorded on the PAS database from Barking, Suffolk (SF-A53C93) and at Colchester dating to the 2nd century AD or later (Crummy, 1983: no. 4237). Crummy notes that the turtle/tortoise is one of the animals associated with the Roman god Mercury (Crummy, 1983: pp. 143). Small copper alloy mounts like this are occasionally found on the lids of Roman seal boxes and it is possible that this object performed a similar function. Interestingly, a similar turtle/tortoise is apparent at the feet of Hippocrates on a small silver statuette from London (Johns, 1996: pp. 106, fig. 5.18), which may suggest possible usage as a free-standing figurine from part of a larger set.