3rd century AD. A group of four lead votive trapezoidal and square plaques showing scenes of Danubian cult: on one plaque the god Sol and the goddess Luna are depicted on the right and the left side of the upper part, on another one only the facing solar bust at the centre of the upper section; at the centre of three plaques facing Helen of Sparta, the divine daughter of Leda and Zeus, welcoming her divine brothers, the twins Castor and Pollux, both personifying the Danubian rider; on three plaques cavalrymen, advancing, holding the draco standard of the Roman legions; on one plaque Helen is alone on the left side of the section, welcoming one of her brothers who advances with a vexillum on his shoulders; one plaque with a cockerel, the sacred animal of the sun, vegetation and animal symbols representing the offerings to the gods on the field; the eagle of Zeus at the top of three plaques; architectural elements on the background of three plaques. See Tudor, D., Corpus Monumentorum Religionis Equitum Danuviorum, 2 vols., Leiden 1969-1976; V. Vasilev, 'Two Lead Plaques with a Depiction of a Danubian Horseman from the Collection of the National Museum of the History of the Ukraine' in Ancient Civilizations from Scythia to Siberia 10,1-2, 2004, pp.67-76; Beutler F., Farka C., Gugl C., Humer F., Kremer, G. and Pollhammer, E.(ed.), Der Adler Roms, Carnuntum und die Armee der Caesaren, Bad Voslau, 2017, cat.67, for a similar plaque in bronze. 433 grams total, 79-94mm (3 - 3 3/4"). From the private collection of Antony John Scammell (1937-2019); two acquired from A. G. & S. Gillis, Barnsley, UK, in 2002; and two from John Cummings Ltd, Grantham, UK; accompanied by the original invoices for the four plaques. The plaques contain a complex iconography of divine figures and symbols, probably to be associated with Thracian or Dacian beliefs of the Lower Danube region, but also with the Greek Myth of the divine twins Castor and Pollux (the Dioskouroi), an important element of the Roman religion too. Presiding over the whole scene is usually the Sol Invictus (the unconquered sun-god) and his sister the Moon (Selene"). His cult originated in the Near East and gained increasing influence under imperial patronage during the third century AD. The state worship of Sol (Greek Elios) was slowly substituted by Constantine's favour towards Christianity since AD 312. Antony John Scammell (1937-2019) was born, and lived his entire life, in the city of Bristol, England. Already from an early age he was enthralled by history and the heroes that it created. While serving overseas with the British Army, Antony began collecting coins and banknotes and this led to collecting a variety of different items throughout his life. From the early 1960s onward, Antony invested in acquiring ancient artefacts. Antony's vast collections started with Egyptian antiquities, but soon branched into Greek and Roman civilisations. The Roman civilisation fascinated him most and, when family commitments allowed, archaeological digs were coordinated in the west of England. These digs uncovered numerous artefacts, many of which were donated to local museums. In retirement, the collecting continued apace, branching into UK coins, British Empire banknotes and fossils. [4]