File:Roman duck figurine (FindID 162465).jpg

English: A copper alloy figurine in the form of a duck depicted as if on water. The bird has an oval base which is concave. There is a projection which is circular in section on both sides of the base. These look as if they would have joined to form a circular loop beneath the bird. The function of this loop is not clear. The top of the body is oval and domed. There is cast decoration which clearly depicts wings with bands representing feathers. The bird has a very short neck then a rounded head and a wide beak. The eyes are represented by circular recesses. The metal is in good condition with an uneven dark patina. The object is 49.9mm long, 33.1mm wide and 26.1mm thick. The duck is obviously a decorative feature, but the object to which it was attached has proved impossible to identify conclusively. It could be from a vessel or a piece of furniture. Decorative figurines were often used as steelyard weights, but they normally have a loop on the top rather than the bottom. Duck mounts are also known and are recorded on the PAS database, for example BERK-D903F2 and NMS-80A7E1. Stylistically, the figurine appears to be Roman. The duck appears to have been a popular decorative motif at that time (Mills 2000). Ducks and other water-birds “perhaps belong to a Celtic water-cult which also appears to have had associations with the sun and healing.” (Green 1978, 24).