This figurine was found by a metal-detectorist near Holton-le-Clay in East Lindsey, Lincolnshire. Although it is lacking its head, enough stylistic features have survived to identify it as representing Vulcan, Roman god of fire and the forge, who lends his name etymologically to the word ‘volcano’.
Cast in copper-alloy, and measuring 75mm in length, the god is shown seated and slightly hunched, with arms bent at the elbows and both hands raised. His legs are crossed, and, while some details have been lost to wear and damage, the toes remain and are rendered naturalistically in the metal. Vulcan’s short tunic falls in folds to just above the knee, and his left shoulder is kept bare.
This garment provides a key clue to deciphering the figurine’s subject, as Vulcan was often depicted wearing a short tunic covering only one shoulder. Although the details of his hands are largely worn away, both contain a small hole (now filled with detritus) which suggests that the god originally held objects: in this case, probably a hammer and tongs, Vulcan’s identifying attributes. Unfortunately, such implements are not known to have survived in any examples from Britain yet discovered (see, for example, LEIC-DD3E91 on the Portable Antiquities Scheme database).
The Treasures of Sanxingdui