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Roman figurine of licking dog

This post is also available in: Polish (polski)

Roman figurine of a licking dog
Roman figurine of licking dog | Photo: Eve Andreski/Courtesy Gloucester County Council

Roman figurine showing a dog with a protruding tongue. The finding is dating back to 4-5th century CE and it’s made of copper. This was found in Gloucestershire (England).

Representations of licking dogs are extremely rare and are identified with healing. The researchers suspect the connection of an outdoor figure to a Roman temple in Lydney, which was dedicated to the Celtic deity Nodens, identified with the Roman gods Silvanus, Mars, Neptune and Mercury. Nodens was regarded as a health carer and god of hunting and water.

Sources
  • Artifact, "Archaeology.com", 11 December 2017