Votive offering in the form of a breast
- Made:
- 200 BCE - 100 CE in Rome
Votive breast, terracotta, Roman, 200BC-100
Votive offerings were presented to a god, either in the hope of a cure or as thanks for one. They were made in the shape of the affected body part, in this case a breast.
Made from bronze or terracotta, as in this case, a large range of different votive body parts were made and offered up in their thousands. Although it originated in earlier cultures, this practice became very popular in Roman Italy – particularly between the 400s and 100s BCE.
Details
- Category:
- Classical & Medieval Medicine
- Collection:
- Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
- Object Number:
- A635549
- Materials:
- terracotta
- Measurements:
-
overall: 28 mm 36 mm, .02 kg
- type:
- votive breast
- credit:
- Loan, Wellcome Trust
