Silchester eagle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Silchester eagle |
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The Silchester eagle
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| Material | Bronze |
| Size | 6 inches (15 cm) high |
| Created | 1st or 2nd century CE |
| Period/culture | Roman |
| Discovered | 9 October 1866 Calleva Atrebatum |
| Discovered by | James Gerald Joyce |
| Present location | Reading Museum |
| Identification | REDMG : 1995.4.1 |
The Silchester eagle is an amazing bronze statue from ancient Roman times. It was made a very long time ago, between the first and second centuries CE. People found it in 1866 in a Roman town called Calleva Atrebatum in Silchester, England. Today, you can see this special eagle at the Reading Museum in Berkshire, where it has been since 1980.
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Discovering the Silchester Eagle
The Silchester eagle was found on October 9, 1866. A person named Reverend J. G. Joyce discovered it. He was digging at the site of a Roman building called a basilica. The eagle was damaged and had no wings when it was found.
Where it Was Found
Archaeologists believe the eagle was once part of a larger statue. It stands about 6 inches (15 cm) tall. Inside, it is hollow, meaning it's empty. There used to be a square lid on its back, but that is now missing.
A Fiery Discovery
The eagle was found buried in a layer of burnt wood. Reverend Joyce thought this meant it might have been a sacred eagle. These eagles, called aquila, were important symbols for Roman armies. He believed it was hidden for safety in the roof of the aerarium, which was like a treasury building.
What Experts Think Now
More recently, experts have thought about the eagle's story again. Some archaeologists now believe the Romans might have just seen it as scrap metal. They think it was waiting to be melted down and reused when the building burned. The way the eagle's feet are curved suggests it was holding something round. This was probably a globe, held in the hand of a larger statue, maybe of the Roman god Jupiter.
Inspired by the Eagle
The Silchester eagle has inspired many stories!
- The Eagle of the Ninth is a famous novel from 1954. It was written by Rosemary Sutcliff and was inspired by this very eagle.
- The Eagle is a 2011 movie. It is based on the novel mentioned above.
