Religious Objects

Carlo Ceci, Piccoli bronzi del Real Museo Borbonico, distinti per categorie in dieci tavole descritte e disegnate da Carlo Ceci (Naples, 1854), "Arredi sacri e idoli," Plate 5.

This image presents us with a selection of small bronzes related to private religious practice in Roman houses. Several gods and goddesses represented here are easily identified through their attributes: on the top row, for instance, we see Minerva, Venus and Diana (numbers 17 -19, see detail below). While, on the bottom, Mercury (20), Bacchus (23), a Lars (25), Harpocrates (27) and Hercules (29) offer a succinct demonstration of the eclectic nature of Roman religion: Harpocrates, for instance, was an Egyptian deity also known as Horus, the child of Isis and Osiris. The Lares, on the other hand, were Roman household gods (see details of these deities below). As with the previous image, the objects on this page reflect a more personal, private aspect of ancient Roman culture. Furthermore, these objects invite viewers to draw a parallel between ancient idols and modern religious images, often placed in modern day homes for private devotion.