Alanian and Roman

“Alanian & Roman”
Carved from a solid piece of mammoth tusk, this 25.5 cm sculpture (maximum diameter 8 cm) evokes a moment from the Battle of Adrianople, fought in August 378 AD — a turning point in Late Antiquity. The clash between the Roman Empire and the Gothic-Alanian coalition culminated in the death of Emperor Valens and the decimation of Roman legions, marking the beginning of the Empire’s irreversible decline.

This composition captures not a specific historical duel, but the archetypal struggle between civilizations — Roman discipline and Alanian ferocity. The figures are locked in motion, suspended between survival and annihilation, echoing the fate of empires.

Created in 2014, the work channels both historical memory and mythic resonance, transforming ivory into a chronicle of collapse and resistance.

Russia, private collection