Lot 155b, Auction 4/20/2026: Roman Manus Fica, Pomegranate, and Bronze Hand Pendants

$325.00

In stock

Roman, Imperial period, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE. This trio of Roman hand and arm pendants gathers the expressive language of ancient gesture into a small but compelling group. Each piece embodies a different symbolic function, from apotropaic protection to fertility and good fortune, illustrating how Romans carried meaning quite literally at their fingertips. The brass pendant depicts the unmistakable manus fica, or fig sign: the thumb thrust between the index and middle fingers. This gesture was one of the most potent defenses against the evil eye, used across the Roman world to repel curses and malicious intent. Its neatly fashioned suspension loop confirms that it was worn as an amulet, its meaning made both personal and portable. The lead tin alloy arm, more naturalistically modeled, extends forward to hold a pomegranate. This fruit symbolized fertility, renewal, and the cycles of life and death. _x000D_
Size of largest (one with thumb gesture): 1.8″ L x 1.3″ W (4.6 cm x 3.3 cm)

The final bronze pendant, a detailed hand with a suspension loop at the wrist, adds a note of mystery. Beneath the little finger, an additional form projects downward – possibly a bird, a snail, or another small symbolic creature. Such attachments were not uncommon in Roman amulets and often added layers of meaning tied to protection, luck, or personal identity. Together, these pendants form a miniature archive of Roman symbolic expression, demonstrating how gestures and small objects served as powerful guardians in daily life.

Condition: Arm holding a pomegranate may be a fragment. All have weathering with nicks and abrasions as commensurate with age. Otherwise, other two are intact and wearable and all have nice remaining details with rich patinas.

Provenance: private Dayton, Maryland, USA collection; ex-private F. B. collection, Maryland, USA, acquired between 1990 to 2010

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