This Rare Roman Figurine of a Cat With Its Paws Atop a Severed Head Is One of Britain’s Newest Treasures

The artifact was discovered by a metal detectorist in 2024

Sarah Kuta | Daily Correspondent

February 2, 2026

Share

Copy linkEmailSMSFacebookXRedditLinkedInBlueskyPrint

Add as preferred source

In 2024, a metal detectorist in England stumbled upon a rare artifact: a metal figurine depicting a panther with its paws atop a bearded man’s severed head.

The item, which dates to between 43 and 200 C.E., was recently featured at an event at the British Museum, alongside two other artifacts that had also been deemed “treasure” by the British government. That designation now makes it possible for a museum—in this case, England’s Epping Forest District Museum—to acquire the cat ornament and put it on display.

The roughly four-inch-long piece is mostly three-dimensional, but the back side is hollow and filled with lead, according to its official government description. Experts say the item probably once adorned a Roman-era carriage that belonged to a high-status individual—a successful farmer or merchant, for example.

The carriage fitting, which is made of a copper alloy, has a blue-green patina from the centuries it spent in the dirt. But while it was in use, it was likely a bright, yellow-orange hue. “You could see it gleaming and you’d know whose carriage it was coming towards you,” John Pearce, an archaeologist with King’s College London, tells BBC News’ Katy Prickett.

The figure, which was probably one part of a pair, was likely meant to symbolize the strength and power of the Roman Empire. The panther probably represented Bacchus, the Roman name for the Greek god Dionysus, the “party god.” The severed head, meanwhile, likely depicted one of the empire’s many enemies.

Researchers were surprised when the artifact turned up near Harlow, a village roughly 30 miles north of London, because Roman carriage fittings were often melted down. It also features a unique blend of Roman-British design, combining the geometric patterns that were prevalent in Britain during the Iron Age with traditional Roman victory imagery.

This uncommon aesthetic was used “to produce something that represents Rome’s conquest over Britain,” according to a January 20 Facebook post from the Essex Portable Antiquities Scheme, the group tasked with recording local archaeological finds on behalf of the British government.

“This is unparalleled in vehicle fittings across the Empire, making this example unique,” according to the post.

The design sets this figurine apart, but similar items have surfaced before. A metal detectorist near Great Dunham, Norfolk, for example, once found a carriage ornament depicting a tigress. But it was made of silver and copper, and it was much larger; it also appears to have had a different, slot-style attachment mechanism. Another specimen, which depicts a female panther with its paw on a medallion, is housed at a museum in the eastern part of the country.

The cat figurine was one of 79,616 artifacts discovered by members of the public—mostly metal detectorists—and reported to British authorities in 2024. That’s a new record, and an increase from the 74,506 items reported in 2023 and the 53,490 reported in 2022.

In 2023, in a bid to put more national treasures on display, the government expanded the law that requires finders to report their discoveries. The cat figurine, unearthed after the amendment took effect, “typifies why this change was so important for protecting our heritage so we can understand our origins, but more importantly, ourselves better,” Lori Rogerson, the local liaison officer for the county where the artifact was discovered, tells BBC News.

The discovery of this and other artifacts is a “testament to the dedication of finders across the country,” says Ian Richardson, who works at the British Museum and oversees the government’s portable antiquities and treasure program, in a statement. “Their responsible reporting allows us to build a richer and more detailed picture of life in the past, while ensuring that important objects are preserved for public benefit.”

Sarah Kuta | Read More

Sarah Kuta is a writer and editor based in Longmont, Colorado. She covers history, science, travel, food and beverage, sustainability, economics and other topics.