BUDAPEST RÉGISÉGEI XLIX. 2016. VASS LÓRÁNT IS THAT NOT CHARMING? FASCINUM IN AQUINCUM – PROTECTION AGAINST EVIL EYE. PHALLIC AMULETS IN A ROMAN CITY INTRODUCTION es limited to a particular sex or age? Were these phallic amulets worn as single amulets, jewelry Magic as opposite to the offi cial religious beliefs items or they were rather complementary magi- and practices always benefi ted from a constant at- cal tools? Are their use and function related to a tention since it provided an alternative and more certain culture or population? personal solutions for daily diffi culties. Hence, magic in Roman period became a widely dis- 1. PROTECTION AGAINST EVIL EYE OR SYMBOL cussed subject in the latest time. Many studies, OF FECUNDITY? books, articles are dealing with the well docu- mented part of this obscure world (i. e. magical Beside the magical formulae which implied the texts, charms, curse tablets etc.) and there are knowledge and work of an offi cial expert, magi- considerably less which refl ect upon simple apo- cian, the individual protection against evil forces tropaic amulets (without any particular magic was also very important. Plutarch mentions that text or sign) and analyze them as testimonies of envy towards other person’s happiness, luck, for- the same magical belief.1 The aim of this paper is tune by the glance of an evil eye may produce to put a group of phallic amulets in context and harm (death, bad luck) not only to the related to examine if a particular amulet group could person but also to his belongings and beloved provide us any relevant information concerning ones.2 According to the ancient perception, the magical practices, patterns in the case of an im- eye which is linked to the soul, fi lls up easily with portant Pannonian city and its surrounding area. envy. The emanation of eye is very strong, and the The analysis of the phallic amulets from Aquin- picture perceived by it is able to provoke joy or cum would rather refl ect on the contextual inter- pain in the same time. Hence, a simple envious pretation of the fi nds and it intends to contribute look may harmfully manipulate any individual, to the mapping of magical practices in the Panno- even involuntary.3 Evil eye (oculus malignus) which nian cities. Meanwhile, it aims to offer a thorough endanger all categories of people, but especially analysis from a multiple perspective. Near the innocent and unprotected little children was of- catalogue of the phallic amulets in the collection ten depicted on the walls of public and private of the Aquincum Museum I also put great empha- buildings, gardens, aqueducts, mosaics etc.4 The sis on the reconstruction of possible pattern of use 2 MORALIA. 681 E, 682F–683A. and function of these objects. By a close observa- 3 About the notion of evil eye, see DEL HOYO–VÁZQUES HAYS 1996. tion of the fi nd spots and archaeological contexts, 445–448.; CORTI 2001. 72–73.; TIMOFAN 2005. 205. About the I tried to refl ect upon several questions: Were the apotropaic signifi cance of the phallic amulets as it is resulted from the texts and pictures, see MOSER 2006. wear, and thus the protection against malefi c forc- 4 Phallic representation on carvings, or other architectural elements are quite popular in Italy, especially in Pompeii 1 Among the studies which were focusing on the contextual, and Herculaneum (CORTI 2001. 73). In Pompeii, for instance, a social or magical interpretation of the amulets, we should plaque with an erected phallus with the inscription Hic habitat mention the interesting studies of Véronique Dasen felicitas was placed above an oven. According to V. Dasen (DASEN 2003a; DASEN 2003b; DASEN 2015) which were mainly the inscription and the phallus had a double signifi cance: it concentrating on the link between infancy and magical provided protection against evil forces and incited the bread protection in Antiquity. Among the fi rst articles which offer to rise (DASEN 2015. 185). Representations of phalli on carvings an archaeological analyisis of the phallic amulets and a and in public places was also very common in the Roman thorough typology based on morphology the study dedicated Britain and in the province of Hispania. They were mainly to the phallic amulets from Hispania should be noticed (DEL reported from military sites in Britain (PARKER 2016) while in HOYO–VÁZQUES HAYS 1996). Other studies about this particular Hispania they were fi gured on all types of monuments (walls, type of amulets were focusing whether on an object from a site bridges, aqueducts etc). See: DEL HOYO–VÁZQUES HAYS 1996. 448– (TIMOFAN 2005) or on a larger region (CORTI 2001.; MOSER 2006). 449. 63 VASS LÓRÁNT iconography of these depictions followed the il- evil eye, the use of the phallic amulets, alone lustration of the protection against the evil eye. or together with other magical pendants, was a The phallus was considered to be the most effi - highly recommended security measure.10 cient weapon in averting the damages provoked by the evil eye. V. Dasen reminds that in the 2. MAGICAL PRACTICES IN AQUINCUM Graeco–Roman world phallus was equated with a weapon in collective imaginary based on lin- Practices and aspects related to magic in the terri- guistic evidences.5 The effi cacy of the erect phal- tory of the two settlements of Aquincum were the lus which was able to block, distract and to avert subject of some papers and studies so far. These the stare of the evil eye was explained by ancient were dealing mostly with the better documented authors with the natural obscenity and shocking side of the Roman magic: the exquisite curse tab- constitute of the sign.6 The erect phallus is also a lets11 or lamella with magical text.12 Amulets were sacred symbol which is one of the main attributes analyzed only in one broader study which dealt of Priapus, the god of fecundity, fertility, hence it with the late Roman bulla type pendants from can be related to the offi cial religious practices as Aquincum and which delivered interesting infor- well. Beside the protection against malefi c spirits mation about the use and function of this amulet the phallus symbolized also the natural procrea- type.13 tive power and potency. Meanwhile, in ancient In the present paper 18 phallic amulets/pen- sources phalli are associated with another god, dants manufactured of various raw materials Fascinus. According to Varro he was the protec- were analyzed. Although this moderate number tive god of little boys who wore phalli (turpicula represent the total amount of such pendants from res) on their neck. Fascinus benefi ted from a large the two towns of Aquincum and the surrounding popularity in Rome as he assured the security settlements (Albertfalva), they were undoubtedly in the city. His cult was entrusted in the care of in greater number.14 the Vestals who attached the image of the god on Other depiction of phallus with the same apo- the underside of triumphal carriages during pro- tropaic signifi cance, except for the pendants, are cessions of imperators in order to protect them very few in the analyzed area. Unlike in western against envy.7 The image of an erect phallus was, provinces and Italy where phallus appear fre- as illustrated above, omnipotent in the everyday quently as a guarding element on all type of archi- life of the Romans and they embodied a truly tectural features (markets, dwelling walls, aque- apotropaic character. As part of Priapus cult, they ducts, frescos etc.), in Aquincum or in Albertfalva were often placed at the entrances to the gardens (satyrica signa) and they were meant to assure pro- 10 The recommendation of ancient authors to protect infants with tection against thieves.8 apotropaic amulets seems that it was a general practice in the Roman period. Most of the uncovered phallic amulets were For averting the aforementioned dangers and found in the graves of infants and children all around the Em- unwanted magical power, ancient people wore pire. See: DASEN 2003a and 2003b; CRUMMY 2010.; GAGETTI 2007. amulets in the shape of an erect phallus on their 11 There were found three lead curse tablets in the eastern ceme- tery of the Civilian Town from Aquincum. See: BARTA–LASSÁNYI neck. They were called in ancient sources fascinum 2009.; BARTA–LASSÁNYI 2015. as they embodied the virile power of Fascinus, 12 NÉMETH 2006. A gold lamella used against migraine was also although this term referred mainly to the shape recovered from the territory of Aquincum. See: KOTANSKY ET 9 ALII 2015. of the pendant. Since innocent and unprotected 13 SZILÁGYI 2005. children were subjected to greater danger of the 14 In the inventory books of the Aquincum Museum more phallic amulets were identifi ed: two bronze examples from the Roman 5 DASEN 2015. 185. vicus of Albertfalva (inv.no. 57.64.35; and 2001.4.2) and another 6 “Perhaps it is from this that a certain indecent object (turpicula res) one from the early settlements of Víziváros (inv.no. 97.1.11064 that is hung on the necks of boys (pueris), to prevent harm from com- ), I did not manage to include them in the present repertory ing to them, ne quid obsit is called a scaeuola, on account of the fact for objective reasons. The inventory numbers of the amulets that scaeua is good.” – Varro, De lingua Latina, 7.97, apud DASEN from the vicus of Albertfalva did not match with the small 2015. 186. fi nds record. The one from Víziváros was recovered from a 7 NATHIST.