Love Louth - East Lindsey District Council

12
Museum Secrets
‘The case of the disappearing
(and reappearing) saucepan’
In 1964, Louth Museum’s Roman bronze
TRULLA (saucepan), which had been taken to
Leicester Museum Conservation Laboratory,
went missing. Where it went is still a mystery.
This important piece, the finest example in
Lincolnshire - if not the country, had been in our
collection since 1908 but not fully documented;
nor was its time at Leicester. So, when it wasn’t
returned, attempts to locate it failed.
It was thought lost for ever, but, in 1993, it
surfaced at Sotheby’s. It was bought by an
academic who offered it to the British Museum.
The BM’s researcher discovered an article, in
the Journal of Roman Studies, describing the
trulla in detail. Its chief distinguishing feature was
punched lettering identifying it as being “From
the century of Claudius Snr; property of Annuis.
4th cohort of the Breuci”. These unique marks
were key to proving its origins and, ultimately,
returning the trulla to its rightful home.
Louth Museum was notified, but the only way of
getting it back was to buy it. So, with grants from
The Art Fund and Lincolnshire County Council,
the trulla was finally returned to Louth where it
still enjoys pride of place.
Geoff Hill, Museum Manager
www.louthmuseum.org.uk
4 Broadbank, Louth LN11 0EQ
01507 601211
Louth Museum is open from the first Tuesday in
April to the last Saturday in October each year.
Tuesday - Saturday 10am-4pm