Herma

The herma - a stone column topped by the head of the god Hermes - was one of the oldest types of cult structure in Ancient Greece. Originally it was simply a pile of stones. Hermes, the son of Zeus and Maia (one of the Pleiades), was the protector of travellers and merchants, one of the most venerated deities since even a short journey was potentially dangerous due to the large number of robbers and pirates. Hermae were placed at crossroads and gates. The destruction of a herma was considered one of the gravest acts of sacrilege. This sculpture was part of a private collection displayed at the Masterpiece London, a leading international fair for and art and design from antiquity to the present day. You can find more information about it by clicking here.    This object is part of Scan The World. Scan the World is a non-profit initiative introduced by MyMiniFactory, through which we are creating a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks and landmarks from across the globe for the public to access for free. Scan the World is an open source, community effort, if you have interesting items around you and would like to contribute, email [e-mail] to find out how you can help.