151 - Roman bracelet with zoomorphic caprine-head finials. 1st–2nd centuries A.D.

Roman bracelet with zoomorphic caprine-head finials. 1st–2nd centuries A.D. Bronze with zoomorphic decoration. Green oxidation patina with earthy tones. Measurements: 6 cm in diameter. Provenance: Family legacy of Ramon Martí Alsina and Ricard Martí Aguiló. Archaeological collection formed from the 1950s by successive generations of the family, through acquisitions in European galleries and auction houses. Bronze bracelet attributed to the Roman Imperial period, characterized by its facing zoomorphic end pieces, an ornamental motif found in ancient jewelry and personal adornments. Its design combines the structural simplicity of the band with the sculptural treatment of the ends, which serve as the piece’s primary decorative focal points. Made from a flattened rod, curved to form an open ring, it features both ends shaped into stylized caprine heads, arranged face to face. The ends display gently defined volumes and incised details that suggest the animals’ anatomical features. The surface retains a patina of green and earthy tones, with deposits and surface alterations. Bracelets and armbands with zoomorphic terminals were part of the ornamental repertoire of the Roman world, which drew on Mediterranean traditions and influences from various provincial cultures. Animal representations, whether naturalistic or schematic, played a prominent role in the minor arts of antiquity, where they served decorative and, in certain contexts, symbolic functions.