Roman Period, 30 B.C.-323 A.D. or earlier. Group of discoid inlay plaques or gaming counters, crinoids with cinquefoil motif. 33 grams total, 13-18 mm (1/2 - 5/8 in.).

Flowers were symbolic of rebirth due to the daily reopening of their petals after nightfall. As a result, they were widely used in domestic settings, religious and funerary contexts, and as adornments. Similar rosette discs, like those recovered from the Ramesside Period palace at Qantir, were used as decorative elements in royal palaces.

From a central London ADA dealership, 1980-1990. [20, No Reserve]