Penis-Shaped Bone & Lover's Bust Among Trove of Roman Art

LiveScience ^ | Thursday, October 25, 2012 | Owen Jarus

[SunkenCiv]

Amateurs using metal detectors have discovered a trove of Roman artifacts, including a bust possibly depicting a male lover of a Roman emperor, a silver and gold brooch of a leaping dolphin and a penis-shaped animal bone.

The wide array of art, found across Britain, dates back about 1,600 to 2,000 years, when the Romans ruled the island.

This art is among almost 25,000 Roman artifacts (the bulk of them coins) reported in England and Wales in 2011. They were documented as part of the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) and published recently in the journal Britannia.

In the journal article, Sally Worrell, a prehistoric and Roman finds adviser with PAS, and John Pearce, a lecturer in archaeology at King's College London, analyze a small selection of the Roman artifacts.

In England and Wales, amateurs are allowed to use metal detectors to uncover artifacts and, depending on the nature of their finds, potentially own them. The practice is controversial, with professional archaeologists concerned about the disturbance of potential sites and the loss of provenance information. PAS, a government-backed program, records the findings in an online public database. Some information, such as the precise details of find spots, is restricted to protect potential archaeological sites.

[SunkenCiv]

This copper alloy bust of a bare-chested young man may be of Antinous, a male lover of Emperor Hadrian who was deified after he died. Only two other examples are known from Britain. CREDIT: A. Daubney © Lincolnshire County Council. CC Attribution Sharealike license

[fieldmarshaldj]

Gay.

[SunkenCiv]

GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother & Ernest_at_the_Beach	join list or digest view topics view or post blog bookmark post a topic subscribe
Thanks Renfield. This is the original source, rather than the Yahoo version. To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list.

[Casie]

I never understand these stories. It always seems the “experts” never find a carving of a man's son or a young athlete. Instead they find homosexual erotica.

This little piece doesn't even have a body. Perhaps the archiologist sees a lascivious glint in the bust's eyes that I am missing.

This year someone discovered an ancient grave site with a body of a man that was buried with pottery. The “expert” wrote that pottery was associated with women so it was proof that the dead man was gay.

Really? So, he couldn't have been a great maker of pottery? Or maybe his wife sent him off with a pot of his favorite beer? Nope. Must be gay.

[twister881]

There once was a man from Glengozzle
Who discovered a remarkable fossil
He knew by the bend
And the wart at one end
‘Twas the Peter of Saint Paul the Apostle!

[Condor51]

Amateurs have discovered a bust ~~ possibly depicting a male lover of a Roman emperor ~~~

Then again, possibly not.

~~~ including a silver and gold brooch of a leaping dolphin ~~

Never mind. He was gay.
...............

[Nailbiter]

Maybe I an dense, but I have read the article twice this morning.
Perhaps it bad journalism, but how does one find a bone penis with a metal detector.
If I read the article correctly all these items were found at seperate locations.

[miss marmelstein]

He was using gaydar, silly!

[Nailbiter]

How silly of me, LOL
After posting I knew i was in for some jesting

[miss marmelstein]

You silly savage! I’ve got my gaydar helmet all set to look for gay relics once Hurricane Sandy is over!

[miss marmelstein]

You silly savage! I’ve got my gaydar helmet all set to look for gay relics once Hurricane Sandy is over!

[Nailbiter]

I love freerepublic-

Do not forget your metal detector- it is must in these searches- would not want to miss any of those bone type objects de art.

Seriously if you are close to the coast I wonder what will wash up from the deep, if tidal surge is great as predicted

[miss marmelstein]

I’m about 15 minutes from the Joisey Shore. The storm is just now starting to heat up. Believe me, once the dust settles, all these guys with metal detectors will be combing the beach looking for dimes. (But getting bottle tops!)

[Nailbiter]

Now that is funny- I remember as a kid using a metal detector and finding endless pull tabs- lost the bug -seemed pointless

[SunkenCiv]

Antinous:

Google

[SunkenCiv]

Hey, it was top of the line.

[SunkenCiv]

:’)

[WellyP]

The baby breasts look more like that of a 11-12 year old girl??

[mass55th]

Carvings/drawings of a penis (phallic symbols) were considered a good luck charm in Roman times. They're supposed to ward off evil spirits. They've also been found in, and on buildings, and carved on Hadrian's Wall. I watched a British program a while back where a group of men built a Roman villa, using only the tools and techniques available during the Roman Britain period. The finishing touch was putting a carved penis on one end of the villa.

Here's a link to the Channel 4 program info, along with a link to a virtual tour of the villa they built:

Rome Wasn't Built in a Day

[Nailbiter]

I enjoy your posts- I have learned much over the years on history from your posts, Thanks