The Colchester Urn, Another Look

[Al Kowsky]

This famous burial urn was discovered in 1853 in Colchester, Britain, known in Roman times as Camulodunum, & held the burial remains of a man in his 40s. For the longest time it was thought that this finely crafted treasure must have been made in continental Europe, however, a closer examination has determined that the urn was made from British clay, circa AD 160-200. The urn has three different scenes sculpted on it's surface with the photo below depicting two gladiators in combat. The shield of the gladiator depicted in the photo has a swastika on it, possibly indicating he is Germanic. The recent findings published in an article by LIVE SCIENCE, can be seen on the link below. 

https://www.livescience.com/gladiators-fought-in-roman-britain-action-packed-cremation-urn-carvings-reveal

Colchester Burial Urn, c. AD 160-200. 9 in. tall, weight over 2.2 pounds. Photo courtesy of Carole Raddato.

A special exhibition on gladiators will be held at Colchester Castle on July 15th of this year, & the urn will be on display there. See the link below.

https://colchester.cimuseums.org.uk/events/gladiators/

Website members are welcome to post anything related to gladiators or ancient Britain, especially the city of Camulodunum ☺️.

 

 

[John Conduitt]

It would be amazing to see it.

Cunobeline Unit, 9-40

Camulodunon (Roman Camulodunum, modern Colchester). Bronze, 14mm, 2.19g. Janiform head; CVNO below. Sow seated right beneath a tree; CAMV on panel below (ABC 2981; S 346; V 2105 ‘Trinovantian W’).