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Terracotta Female Votive Head

Terracotta votive female head found at the Vignaccia temple, Caere. 8-2824

The abundance of female terracotta heads and figurines discovered at the Vignaccia demonstrates its importance as a female sanctuary. The temple’s female deity was honored by the offerings of votive heads like the one seen here. The Hearst Museum houses over 800 hundred artifacts collected from the Vignaccia Temple, most of which are female votive heads similar to this figurine. This votive head was made from a mold, which allowed multiples to be produced with greater ease. The female depicted has stylized hair with a beaded diadem and wears earrings in the grappolo (grape cluster) style popular from the late 5th to the 3rd centuries BCE.

-Michelle

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