Journal - Comune di Monteleone di Spoleto

104
V.86 Fragment of ivory decoration from
the floor frame (cat. 29a), top view
was inlaid in the small concave band at the base of one of
the two side panels (see description of cat. 3a). Thus, it must
have been 10 7⁄8 in. (27.5 cm) long and could have been
made in separate pieces; i cannot suggest how it was
attached to the bronze. no specific examination was performed
on the surviving fragment to determine to which
animal order the ivory belongs.
29a. Fragment of decoration from the floor frame (Figures
V.86, V.87)
elephant ivory
l. 2 5⁄8 in. (6.6 cm), W. 1 7⁄8 in. (4.7 cm); reconstructed
W. 2 in. (5 cm); original thickness 5⁄8 in. (1.5 cm) or more
Description. a decorative adjunct of one of the two rear
finials of the chariot’s floor frame, the piece can be reconstructed
as roughly trapezoidal, with one of its short sides
cut obliquely toward the top as an arc of a circle. a bronze
pin (now lost) inserted through a .29 cm hole in the corner
of the upper side was used to attach the piece to the wood:
indeed, the pin left a conspicuous green stain around the
hole. The underside presents extensive losses: it is crossed
by two parallel horizontal grooves, the depth of which
can no longer be reconstructed. By contrast, on the betterpreserved
side it is possible to determine the width, which
tapers from 3⁄8 in. (.9 cm) on the outside to ¼ in. (.6 cm) on
the inside, whereas the other groove measures 3⁄8 in. (.9 cm)
along its entire length. Their function must have been to
hold the strips of ivory inlay in the wood.
Condition. The deterioration of the ivory is very advanced
and has caused the various layers within the thickness of the
piece to flake. There are significant losses on the underside
V.87 Fragment of ivory decoration from the
floor frame (cat. 29a), bottom view
V.88 Fragment of ivory decoration from
the floor frame (cat. 29b), bottom view
and less severe ones on the top. What is visible today results
from research and the recomposition of joining pieces.
Technical observations. Given the loss of the original surface
of the underside, i do not know if it presented the crisscross
lines observed in most of the ivories that have been
examined. However, given that the piece had to be mounted
on the wood with a sturdy bronze pin and was also slotted
into two grooves, i believe that adhesive was not used (see
technical observations for cat. 21a), and hence that no crisscross
incisions were made.
Commentary. See cat. 29b.
29b. Fragment of decoration from the floor frame
(Figure V.88)
elephant ivory
l. 2 1⁄2 in. (6.5 cm), W. 1 1⁄2 in. (3.7 cm); reconstructed
W. 2 in. (5 cm); original thickness 5⁄8 in. (1.5 cm) or more
Description. The shape of the fragment indicates that the
element was a mirror image of the preceding one (cat. 29a):
the hole used for attaching it does not appear in the remaining
part, and must therefore have been in the missing part.
Condition. The deterioration of the ivory destroyed more
than half of the piece; what exists today is the result of a
patient search for, and joining of, matching edges.
Commentary. during the reconstruction of the chariot we
opted to position elements 29a and 29b on the upper side
of each rear finial of the floor frame, but each finial may have
been decorated on at least the three visible sides. The fragments
i present under cat. 29c may belong to cats. 29a and
29b, but frankly i believe they are too many, as none can be
joined, despite numerous attempts to find matching edges.