Feb 8, 2025
Wolf-Head Barge Fixture
This snarling wolf head is closely similar to others that were attached to a luxurious pleasure barge moored on Lake Nemi owned by the infamous first century Roman Emperor Caligula, near Rome. The ship was designed as a floating platform for elaborate parties, and included impressive bronze fittings to ornament the wooden structure. 1 - 100 CE.
The wolf is an important symbol of Rome, having reared its mythical founders, Romulus and Remus. The original wolf heads are in the National Roman Museum in Rome.