1st-3rd century AD. A bronze surgeon's scalpel (spathion)posed of a handle and a double-edged blade with one curved edge. See Bray, W.A., 'The Surgeon and his knife' in Archives of Surgery, Volume II, April 1961, pp.159-170, fig.6, for similar Roman surgical knives. 62 grams, 22cm long (8 3/4"). Family collection acquired since the 1970s. Property of an Essex collector; from his father's estate. The scalpel ed by surgeons in Rome ually had a straight blade and occasionally a curved cutting-edge. Surgical instruments uncovered at Pompeii are mostly of bronze. [No Reserve]