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This is a trio of zoomorphic figurines that was recently acquired by Worthing Museum thanks to the kindness of the finder and landowner, who both agreed to waive their value. They were discovered a year ago, on two separate occasions, with the reclining razorback boar found first, and then the standing boar and the dog a few weeks later. They were found approximately 10m (33ft) apart in a roughly triangular spread. Made of copper alloy, they are believed to date from the late Iron Age to early Roman period, sometime between 50 BC and AD 100.
The standing boar is incomplete, with wear on its legs indicating that it might have once been mounted. Several other similarly styled boars have been found in Sussex, including near Lewes (search PUBLIC-314559 on the Portable Antiquities Scheme database) and Jevington (SUSS-6F88D3).
The other boar is a more unusual style, depicted lying down with its legs tucked beneath its body. While there are no other figurines in this style known from the PAS database or more broadly, the pose is very similar to the Muntham Court Boar, a hollow copper-alloy plaque that was discovered near Findon in West Sussex. It was excavated from a Roman context and is also in the collections of Worthing Museum. Overall, these two figurines add to a number of boar-themed artefacts from the Worthing Downland, suggesting that it might have been the centre of a Sussex boar cult.
The third object is a reclining dog, possibly a hound. It also shows signs of having once been mounted. While at least eight similar figurines have been found in other parts of Britain, this is the first to be identified in Sussex.
The trio will be on display once Worthing Museum reopens on 28 March. For more information, search for SUSS-FF6F09 on the PAS database. Jane Clark, Finds Liaison Officer for Sussex, will be giving an online lecture including these objects for the Sussex Archaeological Society on 9 December. See https://sussexpast.co.uk/event/autumn-talk-jane-clark-recording-our-past-together-with-the-portable-antiquities-scheme-2/ for more details.
The Portable Antiquities Scheme is an initiative to encourage the recording of archaeological objects found by members of the public in England and Wales. For more information on the Scheme, and to browse its database of almost 1.8 million finds, visit www.finds.org.uk. Information on this find was provided by James Sainsbury, Curator of Archaeology at Worthing Museum, and Jane Clark, Finds Liaison Officer – Sussex.
Text: Kathryn Krakowka / Image: Sussex Archaeological Society
