This piece was found in Burrington, Somerset, UK, by an individual using a metal detector, and is now held at the Museum of Somerset in Taunton, Somerset in southwestern UK. It has been roughly dated to C 1st or 2nd AD during the Roman occupation of Britain. Although it weighs 886g, the figurine is only 25 cm long, 3.75 cm wide and 8.825 cm tall. It is made of bronze, or more generally, copper alloy. Apparently it used to have horns as well, but these were broken off in the past, since a patina has developed over the breaks. It is thought to be the figure of Capricorn, or of the mythical sea-goats from the first sea god, Pricus. Pricus is the father of all the sea-goats. The legend goes that the sea goats liked to go up onto the land to lay in the sun, and eventually they all evolved to the 4-legged goats we have today, leaving Pricus as the sole sea-goat because he didn’t agree with the sea-goats leaving to go to land. In his misery, he begged Chronos to allow him to live in the sky as the constellation Capricorn, so that he can see his children on the earth. This sculpture is an earthy mid-brown colour with what appears to be verdigris evident on its right forelimb, suggesting that it may be made of a copper alloy. Most of its surface is patterned with incised lines that outline the scales on its hindquarters and the hair on its forequarters. The modelling of facial features and forelegs contributes to the realism of the sculpture, as does the lively action of the forelimbs, implying movement.
