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''Crepundia'' are groups of
''Crepundia'' are groups of amulets
An amulet, also known as a good luck charm or phylactery, is an object believed to confer protection upon its possessor. The word "amulet" comes from the Latin word amuletum, which Pliny's ''Natural History'' describes as "an object that protects ...
, often strung onto chains in Classical antiquity. They are similar to charm bracelets and are archaeologically associated with children.
Etymology
The singular form of the word, ''crepundium'', derives from the Latin word ''crepare'' "to rattle or make a noise". The word ''crepundia'' may be confused with ''crepitacula'', which refers to a form ofrattle
Rattle may refer to:
Instruments
* Crotalus (liturgy), a liturgical percussion instrument
* Rattle (percussion instrument), a type of percussion instrument
* Rattle (percussion beater), a part of some percussion instruments
* Ratchet (instrume ...
. Ancient examples may be made from ceramic, wood, or bronze.
History and features
Similar amulet chains were used in the ancient world from at least the 4th Century BC. ''Crepundia'' are referred to in Act 4 of ''Rudens
''Rudens'' is a play by Roman author Plautus. Its name translates from Latin as 'The Rope'. It is a comedy, which describes how a girl, Palaestra, stolen from her parents by pirates, is reunited with her father, Daemones, ironically, by means o ...
'' (dated to c.211 BC) in which the character Palaestra describes the contents of a trinket box owned since childhood: a miniature gold sword inscribed with her father's name; a miniature gold axe inscribed with her mother's name; a silver knife; a little pig; a gold ''bulla
Bulla (Latin, 'bubble') may refer to:
Science and medicine
* Bulla (dermatology), a bulla
* Bulla, a focal lung pneumatosis, an air pocket in the lung
* Auditory bulla, a hollow bony structure on the skull enclosing the ear
* Ethmoid bulla, pa ...
''. ''Crepundia'' are variable objects, but Martin-Kilcher defined five main sorts of objects that feature in them: noise-producing objects; meaningful shapes; those with ‘exterior qualities’; remarkable objects and curiosities; materials valued for their special properties.
The noise-making components of ''crepundia'' may have been used to calm distressed infants or children, or used as a toy.
Examples
*Two infant burials from ''Aquincum
Aquincum (, ) was an ancient city, situated on the northeastern borders of the province of Pannonia within the Roman Empire. The ruins of the city can be found today in Budapest, the capital city of Hungary. It is believed that Marcus Aurelius w ...
'' (dated to the 1st-2nd centuries AD) between them contained small amber, bone, and glass pendants depicting: a money bag, a dolphin, a phallus
A phallus is a penis (especially when erect), an object that resembles a penis, or a mimetic image of an erect penis. In art history a figure with an erect penis is described as ithyphallic.
Any object that symbolically—or, more precisel ...
, a comb, a cicada, an axe, and a male deity.
*A child's grave from the Ponte Galeria
Ponte Galeria is the 41st ''zona'' of Rome, Italy, identified by the initials Z. XLI. Geographically it was part of Agro Romano. The zone belongs to the Municipio XI.
History
The area of Ponte Galeria, populated since the Paleolithic, is the j ...
in Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus (legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
contained a string of amber and bone beads, a pierced tooth, a faience
Faience or faïence (; ) is the general English language term for fine tin-glazed pottery. The invention of a white pottery glaze suitable for painted decoration, by the addition of an oxide of tin to the slip of a lead glaze, was a major ad ...
figure of Bes BES or Bes may refer to:
* Bes, Egyptian deity
* Bes (coin), Roman coin denomination
* Bes (Marvel Comics), fictional character loosely based on the Egyptian deity
Abbreviations
* Bachelor of Environmental Studies, a degree
* Banco Espírito ...
and an amber phallus.
*A child burial from Chichester
Chichester () is a cathedral city and civil parish in West Sussex, England.OS Explorer map 120: Chichester, South Harting and Selsey Scale: 1:25 000. Publisher:Ordnance Survey – Southampton B2 edition. Publishing Date:2009. It is the only ci ...
included an iron bell, a red-slipped carinated bowl with a graffito of a cross on the base, and a small pebble, together described as ''crepundia'' by the excavators.
See also
*Lunula (amulet)
A ''lunula'' (plural: ''lunulae'') was a crescent moon shaped pendant worn by girls in ancient Rome. Girls ideally wore them as an apotropaic amulet, the equivalent of the boy's bulla. In the popular belief the Romans wore amulets usually as a tali ...
*Magic in the Greco-Roman world
In classical antiquity, including the Hellenistic world of ancient Greece and ancient Rome, historians and archaeologists view the public and private rituals associated with religion as part of everyday life. Examples of this phenomenon are found ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Crepundia Amulets Childhood in ancient Rome Archaeological artefact types Necklaces Bracelets Magic items