The Mildenhall Great Dish
- Gallery: Room 49
- Culture: Romano-British
- Date: 4thC
- Object type: platter
- Materials: silver
- Museum number: 1946,1007.1
- Museum: The British Museum
- Collection record: British Museum website
- Image © The Trustees of the British Museum, shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence.
Listen to the free audio guide
About this object
The Mildenhall Great Dish is a stunning example of Romano-British craftsmanship from the fourth century. This large silver platter is decorated with intricate scenes from the mythology of Bacchus, the god of wine.
Looking closely, you'll notice three distinct decorative zones. At the center is Oceanus, the sea god, his hair framing with dolphins and his beard made of seaweed. Moving outward, you'll find nereids riding mythical sea creatures and, in the outermost band, a joyful celebration honoring Bacchus. Here, figures like Hercules, half-naked and supported by satyrs, join in a dance of music and revelry.
The dish was discovered by a farmer in 1942 and remained hidden for years before being declared a national treasure in 1946. It is now celebrated as one of the finest surviving works of Roman silverware in Britain.
See it in person
The Mildenhall Great Dish is on display in Room 49 at the British Museum on Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, London — free to enter. Choose British Museum on audioguide.london and take a photo of it to hear this free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
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