A 18th or 19th century pipe tamper in the form of the Roman god Mercury. Romano-British figurines were copied to produce object such as pipe tampers and where the tamper has broken off, as in this case, it can lead to them to being mis-identified as of Roman origin.
Pipe tamper in the form of Mercury
Photo: The Portable Antiquities Scheme CC By SA2.0
Object type: Ampulla
Period: Anglo-Saxon
Primary material: Bronze
Date found: 31/07/2022
Location: South Somerset