Votive female head

Made:
200 BCE - 200 CE in Italy
Votive female head Votive female head

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Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

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License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

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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 female head, terracotta, Roman, 200BC-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.

Details

Category:
Classical & Medieval Medicine
Collection:
Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
Object Number:
A113250
Materials:
terracotta
Measurements:
overall: 190 mm x 160 mm x 80 mm, .74 kg
type:
votive head
credit:
Rocci, A.