The Lararium - Offerings at the Altarpiece
It is believed that in every Roman household there was a lararium, a Roman altarpiece. These shrines or altars were dedicated to the household gods and the spirits of the ancestors. Depending on the profession, each Roman had a particular god as a patron. For example, a craftsman offered bread, fruit and other things to the goddess Minerva every day at his personal Roman altar. If it was a blacksmith who invoked the deity Vulcanus, he asked for support for his blacksmithing. If he was a poet, he worshipped the god Apollo and hoped for the kiss of the Muses.
Gods for every situation
For every profession there was one of the numerous gods, whom people asked for daily assistance and protection. The lares were the personal patron gods of the houses. In the ancient world, the household gods were believed to be the souls of the deceased ancestors. To make them lenient and helpful, daily sacrifices were also made to them at the Roman altarpiece.
- produced from the finest alabaster plaster
- made in Germany
- size 30x28 cm
- with suspension
Whether rich or poor
The Roman altarpiece was usually located in the atrium, the main room of the house. In Pompeii, artistic and once also colorful larariums were found. It can be seen here that each house had an individual lararium. The ornate Roman altarpieces show how important their ancestors and gods were to the ancients. By means of the furnishings and artistic details, one can still see how wealthy a family was.
The altarpiece to touch
The Roman altarpiece brings your students closer to the religion and tradition of the ancient world. Just looking at the Roman altarpiece makes you curious about the many different deities that existed at that time. As a great visual object, this detailed relief is excellent for art classes.
Attached is a beautiful example of painting from the Winckelmann Museum in Stendal, in a wall niche.
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