278 - Roman votive offering; 1st–2nd centuries A.D.

Roman votive offering; 1st–2nd centuries A.D. Bronze. Measurements: 7 x 2 x 1.5 cm. Provenance: Family legacy of Ramon Martí Alsina and Ricard Martí Aguiló. Archaeological collection formed from the 1950s by successive generations of the family, through acquisitions in European galleries and auction houses. Roman votive offering depicting a child wrapped in a shroud. Votive offerings are one of the manifestations of religious devotion that took the form of gifts to sanctuaries; they were produced almost industrially—the more elaborate pieces by the lost-wax casting method, and the more schematic figures by forging. These votive offerings were deposited in sanctuaries over generations, which is why large accumulations of them have been found associated with places of worship.