Harpocrates Weight

3D Model

In Roman religion Harpocrates was the god of silence and secrets. This probably originated from the fact that Egyptian depictions of Horus show him holding his finger to his mouth. In Egyptian culture, this gesture symbolised childhood, but in Greek and Roman culture, like our own, it was a sign for silence.

Harpocrates appears on several weights found across the Roman Empire, but this is the only example of its type known in Britain. It dates from the 2nd century AD.

From the Richborough Roman Fort collection

Model by Historic England Geospatial Survey Team