Herm of Mercury

Roman sculpture showing Mercury (Greek equivalent – Hermes), the so-called herma. Herms were born in Greece, where they traditionally depicted the very popular god Hermes (hence their name).

Apart from the upper part, Hermes also had a carved phallus placed on a post constituting the lower part of the figure. Since Hermes was the protector primarily of travelers, merchants and thieves, statues were placed at crossroads and crossroads. In Athens itself, herms were used at almost every intersection. Over the years, herms also became popular outside Greece, especially in Rome.

The object dates back to the 1st-2nd century CE; discovered in Italy. The artifact is located in Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek in Copenhagen (Denmark).