Votive left hand holding pyxis
- Made:
- 200 BCE - 200 CE in Italy
Votive left hand holding a pyxis (type of ceramic pot or jar), terracotta, Roman or Etruscan, 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. This example of a left hand itself holds a votive offering. A pyxis is a cylindrical vessel, often intended to hold cosmetics or jewellery and sometimes medicines.
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Votive HandDetails
- Category:
- Classical & Medieval Medicine
- Collection:
- Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
- Object Number:
- A636170
- Materials:
- terracotta
- Measurements:
-
overall: 200 mm x 95 mm x 92 mm, .9 kg
- type:
- votive hand
- credit:
- Loan, Wellcome Trust
