Votive left eye, 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 left eye. The original owner may have been experiencing blindness or infection. This example is made from bronze, the use of which may indicate a wealthy owner as most votives were made from terracotta.
Object number:
A634943
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.