Ancient Artefact of the Day: The statuette of Mercury from the Berthouville Hoard, AD 175-225, likely to have been the votive contents of a shrine of Mercury Canetonensis. #AAOTD
Image: Bibliothèque nationale de France & Getty Villa
Image: Bibliothèque nationale de France & Getty Villa
Caesar notes the primacy of the cult of Mercury in his 'Gallic Wars' (6.17): "There are numerous images of him; they declare him the inventor of all arts, the guide for every road and journey, and they deem him to have the greatest influence for all money-making and traffic."
The Hoard itself is a spectacular collection of material, including several objects inscribed as ex-votos from Q. Domitius Tutus.
Image: Bibliothèque nationale de France & Getty Museum
Image: Bibliothèque nationale de France & Getty Museum
The statuette of Mercury featured here - one of two in the hoard - is a masterpiece of silver-working and, at 56.3 cm high is the largest Roman statuette in repoussé silver that is known, who stands in the relaxed Polykleitan position.
Image: BnF 56.1
Image: BnF 56.1
The presence of Mercury in the decorations of other artefacts in the deposit reinforce the significance of this deity to the local population, such as on the emblema of this silver and gold bowl.
Image: BnF 56.16
Image: BnF 56.16
For more on the Berthouville Hoard, see:
Kenneth Lapatin (ed.), 2014, 'The Berthouville Silver Treasure and Roman Luxury', Los Angeles: The J. Paul Getty Museum.
#AAOTD
Kenneth Lapatin (ed.), 2014, 'The Berthouville Silver Treasure and Roman Luxury', Los Angeles: The J. Paul Getty Museum.
#AAOTD
