File:Piddington claw (FindID 408009).jpg

English: Small silver mount in the shape of an animal foot with prominent claws, probably a lion's paw. Above the foot is a small circular collar set below a short tapering spike, suggesting that the foot was attached to a wooden object, perhaps a small box or stand. Diana Friendship-Taylor has identified the metal as silver. The animal paw motif is extremely common on Roman artefacts, found for example on candelabra or lampstands, which usually have three feet, and on other small portable objects. Pompeii has many examples of the type in both copper-alloy and silver, for example on a large tripod brazier (Ward-Perkins and Claridge, no.209), in a more elaborate form on a candelabrum (ibid no. 141b) on small portable altars and stands (as ibid no. 213, 211), all made from bronze, and on circular silver stands on which stood small silver dishes (as ibid no. 320). In all these examples the entire object is made of metal, the foot soldered to the body of the object. The Piddington example differs in the method of attachment and is very small. It is probably one of four feet, originally belonging to a small wooden box or possibly, on analogy with continental examples, could be from a tripod stand. It is a very well made object of quality and likely to have been imported.

Dimensions: L 12mm; W 9mm; H 14mm

As this object is over 300 years old and more than 10% silver, it has been reported as Treasure under the 1996 Treasure Act.

Angela Wardle