Votives eyes, Roman, 200 BCE-100 CE
Votive offerings were given to the gods either in the hope of a cure or as thanks for one and were made in the shape of the afflicted body part – in this case a person’s eyes. They may have been experiencing blindness or infection. This example is reputedly from the Roman Empire and is made from bronze. The use of bronze may indicate a wealthy owner as most votives were made from terracotta.
Object number:
A634942
Related Themes and Topics
Glossary:
Glossary: eye
The organ of sight or vision. In man, and vertebrates generally, it is properly the movable ball or globe in the orbit, but the term often includes the adjacent parts.
Glossary: blindness
The inability to see light.
Glossary: votive offering
Objects or monuments donated by an individual for a public place or shrine. The object is usually given in gratitude for deliverance from distress.