Design E6
Terra-cotta/ceramic figurines used to be placed on family altars, at home. They would also accompany a deceased in his grave. Many deities were represented : Venus and mother goddesses were the most popular; Risus (a laughing person), busts of children or animals could be found as well. Mass production by moulding from a model, called archetype, made it possible to disseminate such items on a large scale. Such standardized terra-cotta/ceramic figurines were easy to identify and cheaper than bronze statuettes. They bear testimony to the religion practised by the people.
Moule de déesse mère et figurine de déesse mère, terre cuite blanche, fin IIe – début IIIe siècle, provenance Autun, quartier artisanal de la Genetoye, Coll. Centre d’archéologie et du Patrimoine « Alain Rebourg », Service archéologique de la Ville d’Autun et Musée Rolin, Autun
