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Health and wellbeing in the ancient world
Health and wellbeing in the ancient world

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3.3 Infertility – ex votos of sexual parts

If a girl grew up, married, but did not become pregnant, her status as a full woman was threatened. Models of both male and female reproductive organs are among the objects dedicated at sanctuaries of gods and goddesses associated with health; places which – as you saw in Week 1 Health and the gods – were found all over the ancient world.

In Video 3, Professor Helen King speaks to Dr Jessica Hughes about why people would offer these objects to the gods.

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Video _unit5.3.1 Video 3 Infertility - ex votos of sexual parts
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