The Bronze Mouse of Maresha

Abstract

A molded bronze ornament of a mouse was discovered within one of the thousands of subterranean chambers in the Hellenistic–period city of Maresha. Excavations in this city, located in the Judean lowlands, have revealed a material culture that reflects a multicultural population with a high standard of living and a keen sense of aesthetics. The artifact under discussion was found within the excavated debris of Subterranean Complex 97. The function of this small statuette may have been simply ornamental, but cultic associations with mice in the Hellenistic world abound. This paper will explore archaeological parallels as well as contemporary literary sources in order to understand better the potential functions of this discovery.