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Roman, Republican period or earlier, ca. 4th to 1st century BCE. A wonderful mold-made ceramic votive of a foot, depicted with very detailed toes and bone structure, including a “Roman toe”. Ancient Italy and Greece had Asklepions, sanctuaries dedicated to Asklepios, the god of healing, where the sick and those concerned about them could travel to pray for better health. Animal sacrifices and ceramic or bronze votive offerings were made at altars within these sanctuaries. Often, these votives were in the form of disembodied, sometimes abstract, body parts. Many scholars have suggested that they represent the afflicted body parts of the ill, placed to ask for healing, but that is speculative and the meaning of these evocative objects remains elusive. Size: 5.25″ L x 2.125″ W (13.3 cm x 5.4 cm)
Condition: Intact, with some surface encrustation as shown.
Provenance: private Carlton Collection, Los Angeles, California, USA acquired between 1965 and 1980
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