Attis, a divine figure from Phrygia, was closely associated with the cult of Cybele, and was often portrayed as her lover. In Rome, it was said that some cultic revellers and priests would castrate themselves in ecstatic rituals to emulate Attis been driven mad at his own wedding by Cybele’s sudden appearance on the scene.
The two heads of Attis in this exhibition would originally have been a part of full-length figures. Both wear what is probably a pointed Phrygian cap, which was often associated with Attis in Greek art. The similar look and cheap terracotta material of the artefacts suggest that they are examples of objects produced in large numbers for use as souvenirs or votive offerings.
