Wolf’s head amulet
Metal figures were popular in the Roman world, often as votive items. This amulet had belonged to Lieutenant Colonel Montague who collected over 800 classical archaeological objects, which he bequeathed to the museum on his death. He had bought the figure from Harold Clemens, himself a collector of curios. Mr Clemens set up ‘The Fir Tree Hotel Museum of Egyptian, Greek and Roman Antiquities’ in his public house and bed and breakfast establishment in Woburn Sands, Buckinghamshire. He set himself up as ‘Curator’ and advertised curios and other items from his ‘small museum’ in the popular Bazaar, Exchange and Mart. journal. His timing was good, Tutankhamun’s tomb had just been discovered, and there was a great interest in the occult and spiritualism, leading to considerable popularity of his endeavour. However it must be admitted that not all of his artefacts were genuine, some having been manufactured for the tourist and collectors markets.
Object Summary
- Accession Loan No.
- 5/1946/732
- Category
- Antiquities
- Collection Class
- Foreign archaeology
- Collector Excavator
- Montague, LAD, Lieutenant Colonel
- Material
- gilt bronzecopper alloy
- Common Name
- wolf’s head amulet
- Simple Name
- amulet
- Period Classification
- Roman Imperial - 31 BC-476 AD