ROMAN “CRUCIFIXION” NAIL, 1ST-2ND CENTURY AD

Forged iron, 3 1/8” (3.17”) length with an overbroad rounded head. Archeological evidence indicates that common nails were used for crucifixions. However, virtually all of those are nails embedded in ankle bones. As the nails for securing hands were in soft tissue, no such combinations survived. For the same reason, the heads of those nails must have been expanded to secure the hands as standard nails would have simply pulled out under the weight of the body. These large head nails are believed to be for crucifixions and no other function is known or suggested for them. Crucifixions were very common throughout the entire Roman Empire. From a small group recently acquired.