Roman — Roman
Ceres
A copper alloy statuette of a goddess. Possibly depicting Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture and fertility or Isis, the Egyptian mother goddess. A well modelled seated figure in a mournful pose. Her right elbow rests on her knee and her hand is raised to her chin, in her left hand she is holding corn-ears. The eyes appear to have been inlaid.
The cult of Isis reached Rome in the 1st century BC and spread throughout the empire in the following centuries. Numerous artefacts, including a 1st century flagon incised with graffito from Tooley Street, Southwark, which reads 'LONDINI AD FANVM ISIDIS, or ‘To London at the temple of Isis’ (A9329), and a 3rd century altar from the temple of Isis (77.57) confirm that the cult reached London.
- Category:
- Roman
- Object ID:
- A25383
- Object name:
- Ceres
- Artist/Maker:
- —
- Related people:
- Related events:
- Related places:
- Production date:
- Roman
- Material:
copper alloy
- Measurements/duration:
- H 74 mm, W 32 mm, D 30 mm (overall)
- Part of:
- —
- On display:
- —
- Record quality:
- 100%
- Part of this object:
- —
- Owner Status & Credit:
Permanent collection
- Copyright holder:
digital image © London Museum
- Image credit:
- —
- Creative commons usage:
- —
- License this image:
To license this image for commercial use, please contact the London Museum Picture Library.