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3.13 Jupiter

In total, 22 figurines of Jupiter have been identified. As befits the leader of the Roman pantheon, the god of the sky and weather, he is usually depicted as a mature, well-muscled male, standing and bearded with a full head of curly hair, and he may be nude or partially draped. It is more common for him to have his left arm raised to hold a sceptre (which in every British piece is missing, e.g. 15, 251, 292, 293, 365, 874 and 1165) while his right arm is at his side holding a fulmen, or thunderbolt. In some cases, however, it is his right arm that is raised (2, 3 and 14). Figurine 507 from West Stoke, Sussex, shows him seated with a mantle draped across the left shoulder and lower body.

Figures of mature, bearded males are generally identified as Jupiter (e.g. 16 from Langham, Rutland), but, where the arms are missing, it is worth considering whether they might be depictions of Neptune. Figurines of Neptune are not as common, but they do similarly depict a mature, bearded male, often with his right arm raised to hold a trident. Figure 374 from Southbroom, Wiltshire, has been published as Jupiter (Boon 1973, 267, Taf. 58 no. 3), but he holds in his raised right hand what appears to be a trident and so could actually be Neptune.


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