Illustration
A little over 110 mm (4.3 inches) high, this small bronze figure of a skeleton is a "memento mori" (Latin for "Remember you must die"). These figures were handed out at gatherings and celebrations, as a reminder of the threat of mortality which loomed even during times of festivity. This example is unusual because its left arm was used to replace its missing right leg.
Made c. 199 BCE - 500 CE, the figure is now a part of the collection of the Science Museum in London, UK.
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Cite This Work
APA Style
Museum, S. (2019, April 19). Roman Memento Mori, Bronze. World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/image/10478/roman-memento-mori-bronze/
Chicago Style
Museum, Science. "Roman Memento Mori, Bronze." World History Encyclopedia. Last modified April 19, 2019. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/10478/roman-memento-mori-bronze/.
MLA Style
Museum, Science. "Roman Memento Mori, Bronze." World History Encyclopedia. World History Encyclopedia, 19 Apr 2019. Web. 11 Feb 2025.
