bavarikon4UDescription
The bronze jug consists of a body with a neck and a drawn, deep spout, a base and a handle. These three elements were soldered together after they were made. The handle is particularly artistically crafted: it sits on the neck of the jug with an eagle protome (adornment in the form of a human or animal upper half on vessels or the like). The beak, eye and individual feathers can still be seen in detail, especially on the left side of the handle. The handle shaft is decorated with vines and still shows small traces of silver plating. On the shoulder lies a broad handle attachment (riveted or soldered to metal vessels, often ornamentally or figuratively designed) in the form of a Gorgoneion, i.e. a Medusa head with wings and snake hair. Especially on the right side of the handle and the eagle you can see efflorescence due to a fire.
Although jugs like this can often be placed in cultish contexts, the location of this object indicates a different direction: The very well preserved bronze jug was found directly in front of the hearth of a stone building and can thus be classified in the context of a well-off household. The building was probably built in the early second century (AD) and possibly destroyed around the year 170. The jug itself probably dates back to the first century and was made in Italy.