IRON WINDOW GRILLE
Illeta dels Banyets (Alicante)

Iron
h: 72 cm; w: 49 cm; th: 3 cm
Roman
2nd century AD.
 

Section of a restored window grille made up of three horizontal and four vertical iron bars which cross each other perpendicularly creating squares with sides of 11 cm. During the excavation of the bars, iron cross protector pieces formed by two pointed bars measuring 15 cm long, were also found. These were attached to the grille by round headed nails (1cm diameter) and were to prevent access through the spaces between the bars. The grille bars are rectangular in cross section and measure 3 cm by 1 cm thick. The ends of the grilles have not survived as they would have been encased in the stone or wooden window frames.

This type of grille has been found on various Roman sites. A very similar grille was found at Hinton St, Mary (England), which is displayed in the British museum, and others from Hispania are known from the towns of Munigua, Pollentia and Mérida. The grille was found on top of the channel of the furnace in the baths at la Illeta dels Banyets, which indicate that it could have been reused to support the cauldron used to provide hot water to the different rooms in the baths. Originally it would have protected a window of the same bath building or of the nearby villa.
C.S.: 2150
Unpublished.