Crepundia

Iulia Graphis' lead toys, 2nd century, Reggio Emilia City Museums

Crepundia are groups of amulets, often strung onto chains in Classical antiquity.^[1][2] They are similar to charm bracelets and are archaeologically associated with children.^[3]

Etymology

The singular form of the word, crepundium, derives from the Latin word crepare "to rattle or make a noise". The word crepundia may be confused with crepitacula, which refers to a form of rattle. Ancient examples may be made from ceramic, wood, or bronze.^[4]

History and features

Similar amulet chains were used in the ancient world from at least the 4th Century BC.^[5] Crepundia are referred to in Act 4 of Rudens (dated to c.211 BC) in which the character Palaestra describes the contents of a trinket box owned since childhood: a miniature gold sword inscribed with her father's name; a miniature gold axe inscribed with her mother's name; a silver knife; a little pig; a gold bulla. Crepundia are variable objects, but Martin-Kilcher defined five main sorts of objects that feature in them: noise-producing objects; meaningful shapes; those with ‘exterior qualities’; remarkable objects and curiosities; materials valued for their special properties.^[3]

The noise-making components of crepundia may have been used to calm distressed infants or children, or used as a toy.^[2]

Examples

• Two infant burials from Aquincum (dated to the 1st-2nd centuries AD) between them contained small amber, bone, and glass pendants depicting: a money bag, a dolphin, a phallus, a comb, a cicada, an axe, and a male deity.^[6]
• A child's grave from the Ponte Galeria in Rome contained a string of amber and bone beads, a pierced tooth, a faience figure of Bes and an amber phallus.^[7]
• A child burial from Chichester included an iron bell, a red-slipped carinated bowl with a graffito of a cross on the base, and a small pebble, together described as crepundia by the excavators.^[8]

See also

• Lunula (amulet)
• Magic in the Greco-Roman world

References

1. "RE: Crepundia" (in German). Retrieved 12 March 2021.
2. Parker, A. (2018). "'The Bells! The Bells! Approaching tintinnabula in Roman Britain and beyond". In Parker, A.; McKie, S (eds.). Material Approaches to Roman Magic: Occult Objects and Supernatural Substances. Oxbow. pp. 57–68.
3. Martin-Kilcher, S. (2000). "Mors immatura in the Roman world – a mirror of society and tradition". In Pearce, J.; Millet, M.; Struck, M. (eds.). Burials, Society and Context in the Roman World. Oxbow. pp. 63–77.
4. Horn, C.B.; Martens, J.W. (2009). 'Let the little children come to me': Childhood and Children in Early Christianity. Catholic University of America Press. p. 62.
5. Faraone, C. (2018). The Transformation of Greek Amulets in Roman Imperial Times. University of Pennsylvania Press32-40.
6. Lassányi, G. (2017). On Secret Paths – Dark Spells in Aquincum Exhibition guide. Budapest History Museum.
7. Cianfriglia, L.; De Cristofaro, A. (2013). "I crepundia dalla tomba 37 della necropolis de Castle Malnome: Usi funerary e rituali magici". In Simón, F. M.; Piramonte, M. (eds.). Contesti magici, Contextos magicos (Atti del Convegno internazionale) (in Italian). De Luca. pp. 233–245.
8. Down, A.; Rule, M. (1971). Chichester Excavations I. p. 91.