ITHYPHALLIC TERRACOTTA LAMP, C1-C2 CE. ROME METRO C, COLOSSEO-FORI IMPERIALI STATION In the just-opened "museo-stazione" of Rome's subway line C, a gigantic underground cathedral of transport with displays of objects found during the making of the stretch of the line from Porta Metronia to the Colosseum, we discover this tiny but intact lamp in the shape of a satyr with an oversized erect phallus from which the lamp's wick would emerge. A hole in his back was where you'd pour in the oil. The lamp was found in one of almost 30 ancient wells dating from before aqueducts served the area of the now-lost hill of the Velia, which was destroyed to make via dei Fori Imperiali under Mussolini. As always, the erect phallus here is apotropaic, a ward against ill fortune.
#PhallusThursday is making a solid appearance today. From the brand-new #Rome subway station Colosseo-Fori Imperiali comes this terracotta oil lamp (C1-C2 CE) from an ancient well in the #Velia hill. This #ithyphallic chap had that painful burning sensation. #AncientBluesky 🏺
