This magnificent silver platter is decorated with a scene of classical pagan gods. It was found on the bank of the River Tyne at Corbridge, near Hadrian's Wall, in 1735. The Latin term lanx means tray.

The scene shows a shrine of Apollo with the god holding a bow, his lyre at his feet. His twin sister Artemis (Diana), the hunter goddess, enters from the left, and the helmeted goddess with her hand raised to indicate conversation is Athena(Minerva).

The decoration of the platter and its style indicate that it was made in the fourth century AD, at which time Christianity was the official religion of the Roman empire. Although it was found in northern England, it was probably made in the Mediterranean area, in North Africa or the Near East. Ephesos, in modern Turkey, has been suggested because of its links with the cults of Artemis and Apollo.



Found at Corbridge, Northumberland, 4th century AD
L. 50.6 cm
Presented by the Secretary of State for National Heritage, with the aid of the National Heritage Memorial Fund,
Art Fund and British Museum Friends