
Bronze amulet with horses' hooves and mounted by a woman, Graeco-Roman, 100 BCE-400 CE
- Made:
- 100 BCE-400 CE in Roman Empire



Solid bronze phallic amulet in form of pripus with hindquarters of horse mounted by figure of woman, 3 bronze pendants suspended from base, Graeco-Roman, no provenance details, 100BC-400
Made from bronze, this amulet shows a woman straddling across a phallus with horses’ hooves. Phallic-shaped amulets were popularly worn as symbols of fertility and strength. They were essentially good luck charms.
An amulet was, and for many people still is, believed to have magical and spiritual powers, bringing good fortune and good health and protecting against bad luck, which includes disease and sickness.
Details
- Category:
- Classical & Medieval Medicine
- Collection:
- Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
- Object Number:
- A97578
- Materials:
- bronze
- type:
- amulet
- credit:
- Andrade, C.