Attis, also spelled Atys, was a mythical consort of the Great Mother of Gods, Cybele (Agdistis) and a god of vegetation and solar. He was worshipped in Phrygia, an ancient district in west-central Anatolia, and later throughout the Greek and Roman Empires. As the cult of Cybele spread through Greece, the figure of Attis was modified into that of a young and handsome shepherd whom Cybele fell in love with- choosing him as her priest and imposing a vow of chastity upon him. Upon breaking his chastity vow, Attis was mutilated. Once he broke free, he castrated himself and died. Other versions, suggest Cybele transformed him into a fir-tree prior to his death. He is therefore celebrated as a vegetation god, his resurrection representing the fruits of the Earth which die and rise in winter and spring, respectively.
Old Babylonian Terracotta Votive Chariot with the Deity Nergal
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Ancient Roman Bronze Statuette of Attis
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An Ancient Roman bronze statuette of the Graeco-Roman god Attis, Atys. He is depicted in an animated stance with the slight lean of ‘contraposto’ evident in his raised hips and slanted shoulder. His left arm is raised above his head and it may have held a staff or disc in antiquity. His right arm is folded towards his chest holding an object close. As a god of vegetation, it could have been a cornucopia, a symbol of copiousness. He is depicted in his general representation within classical mythology; as a youth with the distinctive Phrygian cap on his head. Some detailing to his facial features is still visible, including a prominent nose, mouth and deeply-set eyes. He is otherwise left nude and now deprived of his feet.
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Additional information
| Weight | 29.5 g |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 2.5 × 5.5 cm |
| Culture | Ancient Roman |
| Metal | Bronze |
| Region | Southern Europe |
