Votive placenta
- Made:
- 200 BCE - 200 CE in Roman Empire
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LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Licence
Buy this image as a print
BuyLicense this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library
LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Licence
Buy this image as a print
BuyLicense this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library
License
Science Museum Group Collections
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London
Science Museum Group Collections
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London
Science Museum Group Collections
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London
Votive placenta, terracotta, Italy, 200BC to 200AD
Votive offerings are those left in sacred places to ask for, or express gratitude for, healing. They are often made in the shape of the affected body part. Some are bespoke pieces, cast in expensive metals such as bronze. Others are mass-produced from cheaper materials such as terracotta and wax. Although it originated in earlier cultures, the phenomenon thrived in Ancient Roman Italy between 400 and 100 BC. It persists today in many faiths, including Christianity and Hinduism. This example is thought to represent a placenta, perhaps given in thanks for a healthy delivery.
Details
- Category:
- Classical & Medieval Medicine
- Collection:
- Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
- Object Number:
- A636035
- Materials:
- terracotta
- Measurements:
-
overall: 43 mm 101 mm, .24 kg
- type:
- votive viscera
- credit:
- Loan, Wellcome Trust
