Ruben wrote:-
Quote:I've heard 2nd-1st C. BC before. I'm curious who dates it to the 3rd C. BC and on what basis?
The Witham shield was originally in the Meyrick collection ( along with the Meyrick helmet) and was presented to the British Museum in 1872.The two Wandsworth shield bosses (round and long) came from the Thames at Wandsworth, and were presented to the British Museum by the Archaeological institute in 1858. All three are stylistically very similar in their decorative style.
In 1955, Professors Piggott and Atkinson sought to date these items, which of course were all river votive finds, with no 'context' to help date them. They argued that the style was clearly an indigenous British style that developed in the late 3C B.C., pointing to the Torrs Chamfron of identical style and on the basis of the continental Waldalgesheim and 'Hungarian sword' styles. On that basis they dated these items firmly to the late 3 C B.C. i.e. circa just before 200 B.C give or take.....
In the 1970's Mansel Spratling added further commentary following the discovery of the South Cadbury shield boss of similar style from a firm stratified first century B.C. context, or possibly up to the fort's demise.
Spratling therefore concluded that the style persisted later than had previously been thought i.e. from 3 C B.C. - 1C B.C. and possibly into 1C A.D. based on continental parallels....
The other great river votive find, the well-known Battersea shield came from the Thames in 1857 and is dated to late 1C B.C.-early 1C A.D. on stylistic grounds.
In the light of all the above, late 3C B.C. seems the earliest, but if the style continued to exist, then it could be later, despite professors Piggott and Atkinson, who were unaware at the time of the later South Cadbury boss.......which would explain why 2nd-1st C B.C. have been suggested.....
Sorry to post such a lengthy reply, but it does emphasise some of the difficulties of dating, especially when the artifact is not in a 'stratified layer' which can be altered by later finds..........