Is on my mind after the Etruscan Workshop last Friday.
There babies’ inspired a twitter thread on cross cultural comparisons and upright positioning as I couldn’t get it out of my head. Still having trouble letting go thinking of them, hence this blog post. The most interesting difference between these bronzes and the clay examples previously known is how much more detailed ornamentation these have. That’s a fibula on the far left exposed figure (not as I first thought an apotropaic phallus!). I’d always thought of fibula as adult dress adornment! So interesting to shift that mental image of the possible functions of such a common artifact.
If you’re not familiar with swaddled babies as votives (more familiarly in terracotta), check out this great blogpost from the votives project.
I also learned in the workshop that we have ancient swaddling directions from Soranus:
Use a manger as a bed!!! Isn’t that fun.
Liv Mariah Yarrow 