Text, The Carthage Treasure: Spoons and patera

European Museums, The British Museum

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The Carthage Treasure: Spoons and patera. These spoons are an unusual shape for the Late Roman period. Their decoration, inlaid with niello (a black metal alloy), demonstrates the fine craftsmanship represented by the Carthage Treasure. The cross symbol suggests they were owned by Christians. The frog design on the shallow bowl (patera) may also have had Christian significance. In pre-Christian Egypt, frogs symbolized the coming of floods and fertility to the earth. For this reason, Christians later associated frogs with resurrection. A.D. 300s-400s. Hill of St. Lours, Tunisia, bequeathed by Sir Augustus Wollaston Franks, AF3283-3285 and 3279

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Frog symbol on a pater on the carthage treasure

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