Loom Weight with (A) Two Confronting Heads and (B) Infant Herakles
3rd–2nd century B.C.
Hemispherical form, with two holes near the top.
On side A, two confronting heads. The figure on the left appears to rest her hand on the neck of her counterpart. The positioning of the pair and the placement of the hand has led scholars to suggest the pair is a mother kissing her child.
On side B, a naked child kneels, and looks back at his left hand, where he grasps an animal by the tail. He may also hold a piece of fabric with his right arm, and the drapery could extend behind him and under his left arm (or the curved form may be part of the animal at right). The child may be Herakles, as the image bears similarities to other depictions of Herakles as a child.
On side A, two confronting heads. The figure on the left appears to rest her hand on the neck of her counterpart. The positioning of the pair and the placement of the hand has led scholars to suggest the pair is a mother kissing her child.
On side B, a naked child kneels, and looks back at his left hand, where he grasps an animal by the tail. He may also hold a piece of fabric with his right arm, and the drapery could extend behind him and under his left arm (or the curved form may be part of the animal at right). The child may be Herakles, as the image bears similarities to other depictions of Herakles as a child.
Images courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art (CC0)