Ancient Roman Bronze Bull on Altar

A finely detailed Roman votive bull, standing on altar. Naturalistic modelled cast bronze bull with slightly curved horns, standing on a Roman altar for worship in ceremonial use or home altar. In ancient Rome the bull was a sacred symbol. The Romans celebrated the taurobolium, when a bull was sacrificed as an offering to ensure the wellbeing of the people and the Roman state. The bull was associated with Jupiter and Bacchus and was also involved in the religious cult of Mithras. Width: 49,2 mm Height: 57,6 mm (including altar) Height altar: 25,3 mm Condition: intact, green patina with ferrous deposits. Signs of wear consistent with age and use. See images for own impression. Certificate of Authenticity available upon request (pdf-format) . Shipping: registered and insured parcel. Purchased by the current owner from a Dutch collection. The seller guarantees this piece is acquired in a legal manner. Related documents seen by Catawiki. All shipments outside the EU must be accompanied by an export licence, this will be arranged by the seller. The buyers must take account of a 3-6 weeks waiting period for the licence plus additional processing time by their country’s Customs department.