Online Activities: Fact? or Fiction?
Question 1
Fact A
This fancy Roman bronze finial dating from about the 1st century AD was used as a door pull. The hollow section caps a wood post attached to the door. To prop the door open, a piece of rope or strap fixed to a ring on the wall would be slid through the hoop formed by the finger. The well-worn sphere at the top was used as the hand grip, a precursor to the modern doorknob.
Fact B
This Roman bronze finial from about the 1st century AD is a very early type of leaf spring still used in car suspension systems today. This one was used on a carriage or chariot. The vehicle body sat between a wish-bone shaped frame. Fixed vertical posts on either side were capped with the finial. A rope tied around the finial’s finger was attached to the vehicle’s body, suspending it in mid-air.
