Barakat Gallery
Skip to main content
  • Menu
  • Home
  • Artworks
  • Exhibitions
  • About
  • Contact
Menu
  • Menu

The Barakat Collection

Open a larger version of the following image in a popup: Roman Bronze Hasp for a Chest, 1st Century CE - 4th Century CE

Roman Bronze Hasp for a Chest, 1st Century CE - 4th Century CE

Bronze
1 x 3.125
CK.0170
Enquire
%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22title_and_year%22%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22title_and_year_title%22%3ERoman%20Bronze%20Hasp%20for%20a%20Chest%3C/span%3E%2C%20%3Cspan%20class%3D%22title_and_year_year%22%3E1st%20Century%20CE%20%20-%20%204th%20Century%20CE%3C/span%3E%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22medium%22%3EBronze%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22dimensions%22%3E1%20x%203.125%3C/div%3E
While today, valuables are kept secure in bank vaults, during the Roman era, it was incumbent upon the individual household to protect their own riches. For this purpose, an entire...
Read more
While today, valuables are kept secure in bank vaults, during the Roman era, it was incumbent upon the individual household to protect their own riches. For this purpose, an entire retinue of chests, boxes, and caskets once existed. Primary among them in importance, was the arca or household safe. This heavy chest would have contained money and other precious items such as jewelry, glassware, and rare and exotic oils, perfumes, and unguents. Occasionally chained to the floor, this safe was typically kept inside the tablinum or master’s office, where the head of the household conducted business and received guests. Other types of containers are also known, including the capsa which was typically used by school boys for transporting books. In cases when important books or scrolls were contained within, a capsa would have been fitted with a lock and key. A pyxis was a small jewelry casket which may have also contained anything else small and valuable such as toiletries, coins, or keys. As with most household items, the chest themselves would have been fabricated in a variety of materials, some more durable and secure, others more ornamental and decorative, that would have appealed to different tastes and incomes. Very few extant chests remain today, a few bronze chests are known, and some smaller silver boxes also exist as do a few ivory caskets from the late period. Typically, they would have been made of wood and furnished with metal hinges, hasps, and locks that have, however, survived more frequently. This geometric bronze hasp that would have served as part of a locking mechanism for a chest or casket used to hold valuables, giving us a fascinating glimpse into the domestic needs and concerns of wealthy Roman households.
Close full details
Share
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Tumblr
  • Email
Previous
|
Next
15108 
of  28197

London

48 Albemarle Street,

London, W1S 4JW

info@barakatgallery.eu 

 

       


 

CONTACT | TEAM | PRESS 

 

Seoul
58-4, Samcheong-ro,
Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82 02 730 1949
barakat@barakat.kr
             

 

Los Angeles

941 N La Cienega Blvd
Los Angeles CA 90069
+1 310 859 8408

contact@barakatgallery.com

  


 

 

Facebook, opens in a new tab.
Instagram, opens in a new tab.
Send an email
View on Google Maps
Manage cookies
Copyright © 2025 Barakat Gallery
Site by Artlogic


Manage cookies
Accept

Cookie preferences

Check the boxes for the cookie categories you allow our site to use

Cookie options
Required for the website to function and cannot be disabled.
Improve your experience on the website by storing choices you make about how it should function.
Allow us to collect anonymous usage data in order to improve the experience on our website.
Allow us to identify our visitors so that we can offer personalised, targeted marketing.
Save preferences
Close

Join our mailing list

Sign Up

* denotes required fields