Date Acquired
|
2006 |
Location Discovered |
unknown |
Material
|
Lead |
Dimensions |
18.5cm long x 5.4cm wide |
Roman Empire |
1st
to 3rd
Century AD |
Description |
|
This item is a thin piece of lead which was folded over numerous times in
ancient times. These pieces of lead are commonly known as "Curse
Tablets". They would be deposited by people around temples of
stadiums usually with an inscription inside. These inscriptions were
easily scribed on the soft metal with a bronze stylus (ancient pen). They
were basically offerings to the gods or prayers for good luck.
The name Curse Tablet came from the fact that many of the lead pieces
contained bad wishes or curses on others. These were very personal
messages to the gods and sometimes named specific people and places.
This piece does not appear to contain text, however restoration work may
reveal something that is at this point not visible. A nice shinny
yellowish patina exists on the outside piece.
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 Reverse View

Close up View |
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