Image Details

Worcester Art Museum

Various magical talismans—a trident, crab, ithyphallic dwarf and barking dog—work together to fend off the dreaded “evil eye” in this second-century C.E. floor mosaic from Antioch. Mosaics like this one were placed near the front doors of houses to ward off curses. Numerous shops in Antioch specialized in the production and activation of curses, while others produced lucky charms and talismans to counteract them.