The subject of today’s post is terracotta moulds. In antiquity, moulds could be made of either terracotta or plaster. For small-scale pieces, terracotta moulds were commonly used. The large collection of terracottas in the Villa Giulia includes the Etruscan 5th-century BC terracotta moulds presented here. They were for the production of antefixes that would have decorated the ends of roof tiles on temples as shown on the reconstruction of the Etruscan temple of Alatri (3rd-2nd century BC) created at the end of the 19th century. The frontal faces of both the goddess and the satyr are apotropaic (=ward off evil). The Maenad and Satyr pair and the Satyr bust antefixes both come from the sanctuary at Vignale in Faleria.
#romacittàdellaceramica #romeceramiccity #terracotta #terracottamoulds #villagiulia @ Museo Nazionale Etrusco di Villa Giulia