A WIND chime containing a magical phallus believed to ward off evil energy was discovered in the ruins of an old Roman home.
The magical phallus wind chime is also known as a tintinnabulum – they were designed to look strange in order to scare away bad spirits and the curse of the evil eye.
Institute of Archaeology, BelgradeThe artifact was discovered mostly intact in its full archaeological context[/caption]
Institute of Archaeology, BelgradeIt was unearthed in the ruins of an old home on a main street where an ancient Roman city called Viminacium used to be[/caption]
The tintinnabulum would usually include wings and legs to make it look extra strange – along with chimes and bells for noise to fight the evil.
It was also common for the tintinnabulum to include a “prominent phallus.”
The recently discovered magical phallus wind chime was found where an ancient Roman city called Viminacium used to reside which is around 1,500 years old.
The area is now the Serbian town of Kostolac currently is about 30 miles from Belgrade.
The artifact was discovered mostly intact in its full archaeological context.
Ilija Danković, an archaeologist at the Institute of Archaeology in Belgrade found the artifact, per Serbian-language website Sve o arheologiji.
“As soon as we started uncovering it, we knew immediately what we had discovered,” Danković said in the statement.
Danković explained that the magical phallus is one of the first items to be unearthed from the Viminacium site.
It was found on the porch of an old home on one of the main streets of the ancient Roman city.
“Explorations of the civilian settlement (city) of Viminacium have just begun, along with the first significant discovery,” Danković said.
“During the excavation of one of the main city streets, the gate of one of the buildings was discovered.
“It was established that the building was destroyed by fire, during which the porch collapsed and fell to the ground, and an object known in scientific circles as a tintinnabulum was discovered in the rubble layer.”
It has been noted that the magical phalluses used in this culture at the time were not subjected to just erotic symbolism.
They were respected as a symbol of fortune and happiness that were believed to truly help keep bad spirits away.
“It was a bringer of good fortune and happiness and an efficient weapon to combat the evil eye,” Danković said.
“For this reason, phalluses can be seen everywhere in the Roman world, from wine cups to the amulets worn by children.”
Institute of Archaeology, BelgradeIt has been noted that the magical phalluses used in this culture at the time were not subjected to just erotic symbolism[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
