Out of sight – a remarkable bone object from the area of the Colonia Ulpia Traiana (Xanten)

Abstract

During an excavation in 1979 in the Archäologischer Park Xanten (Germany) at the so-called harbour temple (Insula 37) of the Colonia Ulpia Traiana, an eyeball made of bone formerly belonging to a bronze or stone sculpture was dis - covered. The find spot was not recorded accurately. In comparison to other eyeballs of bronze sculptures dating from the Mid-Republican Age to the Early Principate, the object shows a very simple layout. According to this stylistic attribute, it can be dated to the end of the 1st or the beginning of the 2nd century. The eyeball represents a rare evidence for high quality sculptures in the area of the Trajanic colony and its predecessor.