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Exclusive: Fragment of Roman Imperial Triumphal Chariot

Fragments of Time recently announced the re-discovery of a major Roman artifact discovered nearly 140 years ago but lost in private European collections until last year.

The object is a unique bronze decorated brace thought to have come from a Roman triumphal chariot. This would be the largest and most significant surviving artifact from this type of imperial chariot which is well known through ancient literature and pictorial representations on marble reliefs.

The object was discovered in the Garonne a Caudrot River, south of Bordeaux, France, in 1864. It was subsequently illustrated and published by the Archaeological Society of Bordeaux in 1880 while in the collection of Mr. Le Baron Pichon of Paris. It was auctioned by the prominent German auction house Helbing in Munich in 1910, and remained in private hands for the remainder of the 20th century.

When published in 1880, the object was first described as a fragment from a Roman tripod. In 1964, while in a German private collection, the object was brought to the Archaeological Institute at the University of Frieburg in Germany where it was extensively studied by Dr. Felix Eckstein.

In his typewritten and signed report which was largely unknown until now, Eckstein identifies the object as an ornamental vertical support brace from a Roman imperial triumphal chariot. He writes that the identification as a tripod fragment was proven incorrect and that the Archaeological Society of Bordeaux acknowledged their misattribution.

As a decorative brace for a very splendid wooden Roman triumphal chariot, Eckstein writes that the object is exceptionally rare.

The brace is decorated with a battle-ready Athena with wind-swept garment, shield and high crested helmet, standing atop a fierce panther protome.

Since its publication in our recent catalogue Art from the Ancient World XVIII, the object has garnered significant interest from scholars and museums. In addition, it will be illustrated and published in an upcoming issue of the Journal of British-Italian Society.

For more information, visit our Roman Gallery.