Votive Statuettes Representing Pairs with Infant/s in Latium Vetus and Southern Etruria: Religious Agency, Family Dynamics and the Role of Space

ABSTRACT The focus of this article is a particular type of votive statuette representing an adult male and female with infant(s) produced in ancient Latium and southern Etruria from approximately the 5th to the 2nd century BCE. By analyzing this material, my research provides hypotheses regarding who and what is behind the act of offering a votive representation of adult(s) with infant(s). The usage of a specific kind of ex-voto to communicate with human and trans-human entities for religious and social purposes likely went beyond merely a biological mother–child link. The analysis of the location of sanctuaries or votive deposits in which these statuettes have been found provides important considerations in terms of visibility and accessibility. The findings highlight both the importance of offspring for families and communities and the multivocal nature of child-rearing.