Object Description
A striking Roman silver openwork brooch of a leopard attacking a gazelle. This piece is exceptional in its quality with both animals depicted with naturalistic details. The big cat on the left is portrayed on its hind legs with its teeth and claws tearing the gazelle apart. The leopard is identifiable by the circular and crescent shaped marking incised across its body. In contrast to the dynamic figure of the leopard, the gazelle is depicted collapsing backwards and down, with its hind legs giving out, its head thrown back and its, once deadly, horns partially hidden behind the body. The back of the brooch is smooth and unadorned. A curved catch-plate and the original pin attached to a hinge remain to the reverse of the plate, now fixed in place.
Date: Circa 2nd-3rd Century AD