Welcome to the Street Prophets Coffee Hour cleverly hidden at the intersection of religion and politics. This is an open thread where we can share our thoughts and comments about the day. Michele can’t be with us today, so I thought we’d start by looking at some Roman jewelry.
Pompeii began as a settlement of small fishing and agricultural communities. In 80 BCE, it was incorporated into the Roman Empire when the Roman dictator Sulla settled about 5,000 Roman veterans and their families in the city. Local inhabitants were displaced, and the city was renamed Colonia Cornelia Veneria Pompeianorum, indicating its status as a colony.
While Pompeii was not a particularly important town within the Roman empire, it had a population of 10-12,000 and many wealthy Romans built houses there. With easy access to the Mediterranean and proximity to Rome, Pompeii was a hub for trade throughout the empire.
On August 24, 79 CE, Mount Vesuvius, a volcano in Italy erupted. By the end of the day, the Roman port city of Pompeii was covered by 20 feet of ash and rock. The city lay forgotten until the eighteenth century. Archaeological excavations began in 1748 and are still being done. Almost three quarters of the city has been uncovered and a number of buildings restored.
The Oregon Museum of Science and Technology (OMSI) in Portland had a special exhibit on Pompeii which included more than 200 items on loan from the Naples National Archaeological Museum. Shown below is some of the Roman jewelry which was on display in this exhibit.
According to the Museum display:
“Snake bracelets originated in Egypt where snakes were considered symbol of fertility. They grew popular in Roman society because of an interest in Egyptian cults. The exquisite design, complete with precious stones for eyes, demonstrates the abilities of local Pompeiian goldsmiths and engravers.”
In his section on Rome in The Grammar of the Ancient World, Peter Chrisp writes:
“Rich women wore a large amount of jewelry made from gold and precious stones, including Indian emeralds and pearls and Baltic amber. Bracelets and armbands often took the form of snakes, which were regarded as protective talismans. Because a snake sheds its skin, it was an emblem of renewal.”
According to the Museum display:
“Signet rings were unique to their owner and were worn by both men and women. They were engraved with the owner’s name or had an engraving of the owner’s mark, a symbol or figure. These signet rings feature the figures of cupid, victory, and a hero. They would have pressed the owners mark on document seals or to make purchases.”
With regard to the necklace, the Museum display indicates:
“This long, thick chain is made up of four ropes of gold with delicate links that look like fabric. The pendant is shaped like a crescent mood, an ancient symbol of Venus the goddess of love. This necklace was probably worn wrapped around the neck several times.”
Open Thread
This is an open thread: all topics are welcome.