91Èȱ¬

This eagle was made famous when it featured in Rosemary Sutcliffe's book The Eagle of the NinthThis bronze eagle was damaged in the Roman period, repaired and damaged again. It is a good example of the high quality of Romano-British craftsmanship, although the repairs were somewhat less skilfully done. The bird is posed with wings outstretched, its head raised and turned to the right. The original wings are missing but it is clear from the careful modelling of the feathers beneath them that they must have been extended and raised. The curve of the undersides of the feet suggests that the eagle's talons once clasped the surface of a globe. It was probably held in the hand of a statue of Jupiter or an emperor, and, in spite of its fame as such, was not part of a military standard.

This eagle was made famous when it featured in Rosemary Sutcliffe's book The Eagle of the Ninth