Votive heart(?), terracotta, probably Roman
- Made:
- 200 BCE - 200 CE in Europe
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Buy this image as a print
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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 heart(?), terracotta, probably Roman, 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 organ is thought to be a heart.
Details
- Category:
- Classical & Medieval Medicine
- Collection:
- Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
- Object Number:
- A635759
- Materials:
- terracotta
- Measurements:
-
overall: 58 mm 32 mm, .04 kg
- type:
- votive viscera
