Lot 22A
Roman, Imperial period, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE. A pair of boldly modeled Roman bronze phallic ornaments, each cast in the unmistakable form of a male member with pronounced testicles and a suspension loop, once intended for stringing, affixing, or display. One is rendered with a long, slightly curved shaft and well-defined anatomical features, while the other is more compact but equally assertive in its design. These apotropaic amulets, known in Latin as fascina, were believed to ward off evil and misfortune through the power of obscenity and divine virility. The looped design suggests these pieces were worn or mounted - perhaps on a necklace, bracelet, military gear, chariot, or domestic threshold - as protective charms. Such amulets were widespread in Roman life and often carried by soldiers, children, and travelers, invoking the watchful gaze of Priapus, the god of fertility and guardianship. Size of larger: 1.8" L x 0.6" W x 0.7" H (4.6 cm x 1.5 cm x 1.8 cm)
With age-darkened patina and subtle earthen accretions, the present examples are remarkable for their preservation, their visual directness, and their connection to Roman ritual humor and everyday superstition.
Provenance: private Dayton, Maryland, USA collection; ex-private F. B. collection, Maryland, USA, acquired between 1990 to 2010
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#195842
- Condition: Both have light surface wear commensurate with age, but, are otherwise intact, wearable, and in very good condition. Scattered earthen deposits and rich patina throughout.
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