ROMAN SCULPTURE

The object is a carved stone sculpture of a probable boar or pig. A close comparison has not, so far, been found, therefore the date is not certain. However, Martin Henig has commented in correspondence that he doesn’t see why it is not Roman, and mentions a boar discovered in Bath, Wiltshire (Henig, M. The Art of Roman Britain). The stone the object is carved from is an igneous rock, which has been very weathered. The object was probably carved from a weathered pebble, and not a fragment of rock taken immediately from a larger portion. The stone is a medium coarse grained crystalline granite which is not local to Nuneaton. The identification of the geology was by Jon Radley (Warwickshire Museum). The features of the animal are not clear. There are four short stumpy legs. One fore and back leg are more widely spaced than the other two legs. Between, what are probably the rear legs is a small bump, which maybe representing the animals’ genitalia or nipples. The rump is slightly damaged, in particular the ridge which runs across the back of the animal and down the rump. Originally it may have been shaped to represent a tail. The break does not appear to be fresh. The ridge on the back of the animal has irregular vertical grooves as definition. The body of the animal is well-rounded and is asymmetrical. There are a few scratches on one side of the body, and again they are not fresh, nor do they appear to give the body further definition, and are therefore probably accidental. The head or what may be the head appears to have its nose pointing to the ground. The ridge tapers just above the head. There is no definition for the mouth or eyes. The terminal of the nose is circular in section and is viewed from the base. The object measures 69.5mm long from head to tail, 38.15mm wide across the body and 47.97mm tall from the base of the feet to the ridge. It weighs 120.71g.