Herms are sculpted pillars surmounted by the
head, and sometimes the shoulders, or a man.
Personages depicted range from the gods,
foremost among them the Greek god Hermes,
after who the herm was named, to popular
personalities such as philosophers, authors, and
playwrights. Herms first appeared in the 5th
century B.C. Greece and were traditionally
positioned at physical boundaries, specifically
crossroads. While such works may have served
as functional road markers, it is likely that herms
also possessed a supernatural protective
function based on the fact that intersections
were often sites of ritual worship. Originally,
during the Greek era, the pillar section was
decorated with a clearly defined phallus, perhaps
suggesting that herms once had fertility
connotations. However, by the time of the
Roman era, herms had become completely
profane and void of any cult or ritual
significance. The Romans adapted the form of
the herm for its decorative elements. While
herms once stood at important crossroads
during the golden age of Greece, by the Roman
era, they had become garden ornaments
representing popular personalities. This
fragment of the head of a herm, attached to a
recreated pillar in the 19th century, might just
depict an ancient celebrity. It is also possible the
thickly bearded and curly haired head represents
a god. This herm, created during the Roman
Empire, was appreciated for its decorative
qualities. Today, it continues to be as pleasing to
the eye as it once was, while now additionally
inspiring the mind with its age and history.
- (PF.6951)
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