Plaque from a bridal chest, La Font del Vilar (Avinyonet de Puigventós, Alt Empordà), Roman period, 4th century AD. Archaeology Museum of Catalonia, Girona.
These five fragments of a fine bronze panel are decorated in relief. The decoration takes the form of floral and geometric elements and figurative scenes. Once scene, which appears twice, shows the busts of a man and a woman in profile, facing each other within a circular corona. Below is the inscription ‘VIVATIS’ (’Long life’). The other scene depicts a naked man seated in a chair with his right arm raised, as though he were talking. The decoration and inscription seem to indicate that this piece may have belonged to a bridal chest, a wedding gift featuring the couple’s portrait. Other similar pieces that have come down to us are made of silver.
