Risley Park Lanx

The Risley Park Lanx is a large Roman silver dish (or lanx) that was discovered in 1729 in Risley Park, Derbyshire. In Roman times, a lanx was generally a large serving platter, about 15 by 20 inches in size. Particularly ornamented ones were used to make offerings or sacrifices. The inscription on the Risley Park Lanx suggests it was used as a "church plate".

Subsequently lost, the Risley Park Lanx re-emerged in the 1990s, as a supposed heirloom of the now-notorious art forger Shaun Greenhalgh and his family. Bought by private buyers and donated to the British Museum, it was on display for several years, but was removed when its authenticity became suspect. It was later determined to be a complete fabrication. The fate of the original, genuine, Risley Park Lanx is unknown.

In 1729, a large silver dish was ploughed up at Risley Park, Derbyshire, and broken into pieces soon after its discovery. Lady Ashton, the owner of Risley Park, was in contact with the pioneer archaeologist William Stukeley about it, though it was some years before he acted. Indeed, there is some doubt as to whether he ever actually saw the lanx himself. However he became sufficiently interested after the discovery of the Corbridge Lanx to have Gerard Vandergucht make line drawings and an engraving of the remaining pieces. Vandergucht certainly saw them, and may well be the "one that saw it" mentioned in the testament inscribed at the bottom of the engravings:

This print of a curious piece of Antiquity in silver... was defined from all the fragments of it that could be got together, by one that saw it, before it was broken in pieces, by the ignorant peoples that found it.

Stukeley, at a meeting of the Society of Antiquaries in 1736, read his account, which was later published, complete with a dedication underneath the drawing of the lanx:

To the most noble prince PEREGRINE duke of Ancaƒter and keƒteven, Marquis and Earl of Lindƒey, Baron Willughby of Ereƒby, hereditary Lord great Chamberlain of England, Lord Lieutenant & Custers Rotuleram of the county of Lincoln &c, &c, &c...

This lanx, what was left of it, was decorated with pastoral and hunting motifs around the edges, and at the centre was a scene from a boar hunt, similar to the pagan ones on the Mildenhall bowls. On one fragment there was also a curious scene of a cherubic figure riding a lion.

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