Roman Bronze Pendant 'Noctua' (1st-3rd c. AD)
Visible traces of centuries of human history. Authenticity guaranteed for life.
- One-of-one. No restock, no replica.
- Authenticated against published typologies.
- Lifetime authenticity guarantee in writing.
- Free insured shipping within the EU. Dispatched in 1 to 3 business days, DHL Express delivery in 2 to 4 business days. 30-day returns.
Piece details
- Type
- Pendant
- Era
- Roman
- Material
- Bronze
- Rarity
- Rare
- Provenance
- See recorded history
- Authenticity
- Lifetime guarantee
Questions about this piece? info@auroraantiqua.com
Yes, you can wear it.
Wear it or display it.
Avoid prolonged water exposure. A detailed care guide ships with every order.
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- Card data never stored on our servers
- Apple Pay, Google Pay, Shop Pay supported
- Free insured shipping within the EU
- EU 2–4 days · outside the EU a flat €95 incl. export licence, about 3 weeks before dispatch
- Import duties and taxes outside the EU are not included
- Ships in a linen-wrapped wooden box
- 30 days from delivery
- Return at your own shipping
- Refund once the item arrives back with us
- Written lifetime guarantee with every piece
- Full refund if ever shown to be inauthentic
- No expiry · for the original buyer and any inheritor
A stylized bronze owl pendant from the early Roman Imperial period, cast in a flat silhouette with large spiral eyes and outstretched wings. The exaggerated circular eyes and frontal posture are typical of provincial Roman amulets, where the owl was associated with protection, night-watchfulness, and the wisdom of Minerva. The original suspension loop remains intact, and the surface carries a smooth ancient patina with light earthen deposits.
Details
Material: Bronze
Date: Roman Empire, 1st–3rd Century AD
Origin: Provincial Roman Europe
Dimensions: Length c. 48 mm; Width c. 44 mm
Provenance: Private family collection assembled in the 1960s, later inherited by the previous owner (K.V.D., Belgium).
Identifier: P-25-B
Condition: Good archaeological condition with stable patina and minor wear
Historical Context
Owl pendants appear across the western provinces of the Roman Empire and were worn as personal amulets invoking protection, foresight, and intelligence. Their simplified, near-abstract style reflects local workshops adapting classical symbolism into popular, everyday charms.
Restoration and Authenticity
This pendant has been lightly cleaned and stabilised to preserve its original character while ensuring it is ready for safe handling or display. A Certificate of Authenticity is included.
How do I know it's real?
Jakob, who runs Aurora, examines each piece himself before it is listed. He looks at four things:
Metal and surface
The metal and its ageing, the surface patina and any burial deposits.
Wear
Whether the wear is consistent with genuine use.
Manufacture
Whether the manufacturing marks belong to the period.
Style and type
Whether the stylistic details fit known types.
Every piece ships with its certificate of authenticity in the box and a written lifetime authenticity guarantee.
How Aurora compares.
A side-by-side look at how an Aurora piece is sold, versus the two most common alternatives.
| Aurora | Auction houses | eBay | Other platforms | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lifetime authenticity guarantee | ✓ | depends | ✗ | rarely |
| Documented provenance | ✓ | sometimes | rarely | sometimes |
| Returns | 30 days | no returns | no returns | no returns |
| Free insured EU shipping | ✓ | add-on | add-on | add-on |
| Linen-wrapped wooden gift box | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Written certificate, signed | ✓ | depends | ✗ | depends |
| Customer service answered personally by the owner | ✓ | days | varies | varies |
What it feels like to wear something this old.
★★★★★Jakob was incredibly professional, responsive, and patient in answering all of my questions about the piece before I purchased it. The item was shipped very quickly and arrived safely. As this item is a gift, I haven’t opened the package yet, but even from the outside I could immediately notice the attention to every detail and the high quality of the materials used. I highly recommend this shop!
Verified buyer · Etsy
★★★★★The item came just as described, the wooden box it came in was a really nice addition too! This was a gift for my Roman history obsessed husband, he loved it. Jakob was very communicative and wonderfully helpful as well!
Verified buyer · Etsy
★★★★★A very cool and unique item. Shipped quickly. Idk what else to say, I love what this guy is doing.
Verified buyer · Etsy
★★★★★Absolutely amazing, came with a certificate of authenticity and all.
Verified buyer · Etsy
★★★★★Absolutely love the natural patina on this piece. Thank you!
Verified buyer · Etsy
Questions, honestly answered.
Is this piece really ancient?
Yes. Jakob, who runs Aurora, examines each piece himself before it is listed. The proposed date and the evidence for the individual attribution are given in the listing. The date stated on the certificate is binding: if a piece is ever shown not to be of the period stated, we refund the full purchase price. Forever, no expiry.
How is it authenticated?
Jakob, who runs Aurora, examines each piece himself before it is listed. He looks at the metal and its surface, wear, manufacture, style and type. The certificate of authenticity ships in the box, backed by our lifetime authenticity guarantee.
Can I wear it?
Yes. Wear it or display it. Avoid prolonged water exposure (showers, sea, pools) and any harsh cleaning. The patina is part of the object's history; please don't polish it. A care guide ships with every order.
What's the return process?
30 days from delivery. Pieces restored on commission after purchase are excluded, as the restoration alters them permanently. The piece must return in the condition it arrived, in its original packaging. Return shipping is at the buyer's cost; we send a tracked, insured label and quote it first. Full refund within 3 business days of arrival back to us.
How is it shipped?
Fully insured, tracked, signature on delivery, in a linen-wrapped wooden box with the certificate and care guide. EU dispatch within 1–3 business days. EU delivery: 2–4 business days after dispatch. Outside the EU, a flat €95 per order covers the official export licence, which adds about 3 weeks before dispatch; transit itself is 2–5 business days by insured express courier. Import duties and taxes outside the EU are not included. We confirm your personal timeline by email within 24 hours of ordering.
Where do Aurora pieces come from?
The provenance line in each listing gives the piece's history as far as it is recorded. Some pieces have a longer chain of earlier owners; for others the record begins with a recent sale. Read the information for the individual piece and ask us about its records before buying.
What does the lifetime guarantee cover?
A written promise that if the piece is ever shown to be inauthentic or not of the stated period, we refund the full purchase price. No expiry. The guarantee applies to the original buyer and any subsequent inheritor of the piece.
Stay in the loop.
First look at new pieces, before they go on the public catalogue.
Have it restored before it ships.
Hands-on restoration in our own workshop. Brings the piece back to how it would have appeared when originally worn, while preserving the character that only centuries can create.
- Surface restoration · original metal revealed where appropriate
- Structural corrections · distortions, cracks
- Timing · adds about 2 weeks to delivery
Bronze pieces: patina is reduced or removed as part of the process. Keep the patina → skip restoration.
Recorded collection history.
The provenance line in each listing gives the piece's recorded history. Some pieces have a longer chain of earlier owners; for others the record begins with a recent sale. Where earlier history is limited, the listing states that openly.
- Ask us about the records for this piece
- Provenance stated on the certificate and on the listing
- Where the exact origin cannot be established with certainty, we state that openly
Lifetime authenticity guarantee.
A written promise that if a piece is ever shown to be inauthentic or not of the period stated, we refund the full purchase price. Forever, no expiry. It applies to the original buyer and any subsequent inheritor of the piece.
- Examined by Jakob before listing (metal and surface · wear · manufacture · style and type)
- Certificate of authenticity in the box and a written lifetime guarantee
- Full refund forever if ever shown to be wrong
From the Roman period.
1st century BC to 5th century CE. A piece from a documented period, dated by construction method, patina and stylistic typology cross-referenced against the published catalogues for the era.
Rare.
A genuine step above standard pieces. Documented in the published catalogues and held by institutions, but private-market specimens come up less frequently. Collector-grade.
- Legendary · canonical piece, museum or headline-auction tier
- Super rare · only a handful documented across all major collections
- Very Rare · museum-tier configuration in private hands
- Rare · documented in catalogues, scarce on the market
- Uncommon · distinct examples, selective availability
- Common · characteristic, well-attested period example