Recent excavations in Viminacium have led to an extraordinary discovery. Archaeologists, just as they began researching the city, stumbled upon a unique object known as a tintinabulum, shaped like a winged phallus, serving as an amulet.
“Just as the exploration of the civilian settlement (city) of Viminacium began, significant discoveries quickly followed. While excavating one of the main city streets, the gate of one of the buildings was uncovered. It was determined that the building had suffered a fire, causing the porch to collapse and fall to the ground. In the ash layer, an object known in scientific circles as a tintinnabulum was discovered,” said Ilija Danković, a spokeperson from the Archaeological Park Viminacium.
Tintinabula were the ancient equivalent of today’s wind chimes, but their role and symbolism in the Roman world were far more intricate and significant. They were hung in front of doors of houses or rooms to create sound in the wind, and with their unusual appearance, they were believed to ward off evil forces and malevolent gazes.
The actual appearance of the Viminacium tintinabulum will be known only after conservation. What is already clear is that the “central part of the composition was made up of the so-called fascinum, a magical being with a body in the form of a winged phallus on legs, with its own phallus and a tail in the form of a phallus. Four bells were hung on the fascinum,” explained the archaeologists.
Phallic-shaped objects served as amulets
Phallic-shaped objects appear across a wide range of Roman artifacts, from amulets to frescoes to mosaics and lamps. They symbolized good luck and were believed to ward off evil spirits. For the Romans, such objects did not have an erotic or lascivious character. This part of the human body was considered an effective weapon against the evil eye and a bringer of good fortune. They are usually dated from the 1st to the 3rd century.
The Roman writer Pliny the Elder wrote that babies and soldiers wore such amulets to have divine protection. For children, it was crucial to wear phallic amulets or have them drawn on the wall. Since children were quite susceptible to illness during the Roman period, and child mortality was not at an enviable level, the most risky period for children was up to the age of 5. Hence, mothers resorted to magical methods to protect their children.
It is believed that wings were added to phallic amulets because they made them more effective in warding off evil. “For this reason, the owner of the building in Viminacium hung the tintinabulum in front of his gate. He believed that the object possessed powerful magical properties that could help him,” concludes Danković.
