This striking Roman object depicts the god Oceanus – in Classical mythology, a Titan who was the son of Uranus and Gaia, deities representing the sky and the earth. It was discovered in September 2020 in Old Basing, Hampshire, and was included in the most recent annual report of the Portable Antiquities Scheme.The face is believed to be a decorative fitting for a large piece of furniture or other household item (its rectangular backing is 119.1mm long), but it is hard to say for certain as no similar objects have yet been discovered in Britain, and there appear to be no close parallels from the Continent either. Images of Oceanus are uncommon in Britain – his likeness is more commonly fo
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