Lares as Objects

Arachne Link

There are many images of Lares both 2D and 3D, but very few that show more lifelike interactions with the physical Lares in people’s homes. This is the least photographed side of the Belvedere Altar (now in the Vatican). I like how it shows the statues being encorporated into a religious ritual. I;m also interested how the person presenting the object to the celebrant (paterfamilias?) is female (matrona?).

There are Lares on republican coins but not this domestic varietal, but rather those of the crossroads (RRC 298/1; on which see my 2015 publication on Ulysses Redux).

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