Bronze votive left foot, Roman, 1-200AD

Votive offerings were made at the temple of a healing god such as Asklepios, the Greco-Roman god of healing and medicine. They were offered in the hope of receiving a cure or as thanks for one. Votives were made in the shape of the affected or cured body part, in this case a person’s left foot. The foot is cast in bronze and is wearing a sandal, although it does look like a modern day flip-flop! It has a hole so it can be hung up on a wall. The use of bronze may indicate a wealthy owner as most votives were made from terracotta.