The Ure Museum of Greek Archaeology

Small and portable objects functioned in a variety of non-commercial contexts in the ancient Mediterranean. What was the importance, for example, of knucklebones and mass-produced vases deposited in caves? Such objects are often fragmentary and/or overlooked, even by excavators. Some dedications at religious and secular sites alike have received considerable attention as artefacts of exquisite craftsmanship and/or evidence of mercantile activity. But how can these items and assemblages of them, whether or not they were used as offerings, inform us about the relationships between humans, their ancestors and gods?

This 2-day international conference at the University of Reading will investigate the cumulative value of non-prestige ex votos, through the following questions:

• What does the mobility and portability of an object contribute to its object biography?
• Do local traditions favour the dedication of small, personal and/or mundane objects?
• How do such small objects relate to the human body and its participation in travel and other human endeavours?
• Could small dedications reflect a continuum between the religious and domestic sphere?