Roman Bulla Amulet, Bronze

Roman Bulla

This Roman amulet pendant is inspired by a find from Pompeii. The piece is made hollow and tightly closed. Inside the Bulla there are a few stones, collected near the site of a Roman Villa Rustica. The Bulla has a size of about 34 x 43 mm and will be delivered with a leather cord in a gift box.

Roman Bulla

A bulla is a hollow Roman amulet pendant, which served as a container of certain substances or objects as a protection from mischief. The capsules were placed around the neonatal children's neck to protect them from misfortune and evil spells. The custom probably has got Etruscan origins and spreaded throughout the empire. The amulet pendants could be made of leather, but depending on the state of the child, they could even be made of elaborate decorated precious metals. The bulla was discarded when the children reached maturity. Girls became adults with their marriage, boys were ceremonially admitted into the circle of men by the granting of the Toga Virilis at the age of 14 years.