Oddball Find in with Ancient Coins!

[oldtimer]

I've always loved the unusual and interesting. Over the years I've dug lots of really strange items that no one was able to ID for me. Here is a big button like item that was found buried with 3rd century ancient Roman coins. I didn't dig this one myself but I'd still like to know what it is!

It looks like a button but the problem is, as I understand it, the Romans didn't use buttons. However, this puppy sure looks like a button to me.

What do you think? Any comments are appreciated.

Item is 2 inches in dia. and is made of bronze.

oldtimer

 

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[Tigr50]

Hi Oldtimer:
I just love this button--and it could very well be Roman. The metalwork, though, is very nice, and the design strikes me as coming from perhaps a "Barbarian" Roman workshop--those that were incorporated into the citizenry later in the Empire. I suppose the coins you found with it, unless they were just a random bunch, could give you a date approximation.
Cheers
Tigr50

 

[Crow NY]

Hi Oldtimer,nice find! Possibly a bridle ornament.

 

[oldtimer]

Thanks Crow NY and Tigr50 for your comments.

I think there are many possibilities for this type of thing. I believe the Roman army was big on floral designs for their various amour hardware. I read somewhere that while on a campaign this reminded them of the beautiful gardens back home.

I didn?t dig the item myself so I wasn?t there to see the actual depth which would have told me a lot.

The bridal ornament idea is good and may be an option.

There are many today who swear the Romans never used buttons as we know them. I wonder about that. I?ve found lots of button like artifacts in uncleaned coin batches.

I know for years almost all ancient coin collectors said the Romans didn?t wear coins about their necks. However, people have found holed ancient coins with link rings for neck chains. In fact, I have a picture in my computer of such an example.

Maybe they did use the button design for something?

Any help or comments are greatly appreciated.

oldtimer

 

[Siegfried Schlagrule]

My guess is that you have found a shield boss. I personally dug an As of Tiberius that was holed along a drainage ditch at the site of a former roman villa in augsburg, Germany. It was holed. exanimo, ss

 

[rabajohn]

Could it have held a cloak or robe together, sort of like a button would? I don't know much about Roman dress. etc..

 

[oldtimer]

My guess is that you have found a shield boss. I personally dug an As of Tiberius that was holed along a drainage ditch at the site of a former roman villa in augsburg, Germany. It was holed. exanimo, ss

After carefully studying the piece I believe you're right--it is a shield boss.

In the picture it looks a lot like a button but in hand the eye on the back looks like it was originally connected to some larger object. The sharp cup design also favors a boss.

Thanks Siegfried Schlagrule and everyone else. You're great people!

 

[shiningstar76]

would copper have held up that nicely for that much time? I imagine gold or silver would have.....great find!