Since the dawn of time, man has offered
votives to win the benign favor of his
gods. Sometimes these were perishable
gifts of food, or wine, or livestock. At
other times they were figures of stone,
metal or clay--votives of a more
enduring nature. The art of the sculpted
clay votive reached its peak in the
Hellenistic age, when the artistic
influence of Classical Greece spread
throughout the Mediterranean and Near
East. In and around Alexandria--where
the Olympian gods were mixed freely with
those of ancient Egypt--the temples were
filled to overflowing with lively
depictions of deities, royalty, actors
and ordinary folk. As gifts to the gods,
these could not be destroyed, so
periodically the votives were buried in
pits to make room for new offerings.
When we look upon their features today--
sometimes agelessly beautiful, divine,
regal or aloof, sometimes comic or
infinitely wise--we come face to face
with the human past.
- (P.3674)
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