Winged Fascinus

Culture: Roman

Period: 1st century A.D.

Material: Bronze

Dimensions: 9.4 cm long

Price: Sold

Ref: 3481

Provenance: From an old Munich collection, acquired from a German auction house.

Condition: Toes missing, otherwise intact.

Description: Large and very elaborately worked out solid bronze amulet of a winged fascinus. The slightly raised head in form of an erected phallus. The back of the zoomorphic figure ends in two stretched out animal legs with a raised tail which ends again in a phallus. The wings are spread on the sides and abundantly decorated in cold work. On the bottom details of the genitals. Fascina were worn as protective amulets during the Hellenistic and Roman period or – like the present, very large and heavy example – hung in the household on a tintinnabulum (a wind chime with bells that served as a door amulet). They should protect the owner from the "evil eye". See for this very elaborately modelled fascinus the one from Pompei, today in the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli with the inventory number 27839. Mounted.