14 July 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Magical Roman Phallus Wind Chime Unearthed in Serbia

Archaeologists have unearthed a Roman phallus wind chime known as a tintinnabulum, during excavations at the ancient city of Viminacium in the Kostolac region of eastern Serbia.

Viminacium Archaeological Park is situated about 100km (70 miles) east of Belgrade and was once one of the wealthy Illyrian cities of antiquity.

Viminacium was the capital of the Roman province of Moesia and an important military camp, founded around the 1st century. The city thrived throughout the centuries, eventually gaining the status of a colony during the reign of Emperor Gordian III. It’s estimated that the city was home to 45,000 inhabitants. Two Roman legions were stationed here, Legion VII and Legion IV.

The first excavations took place at the site in 1882. At Viminacium, the remains of over 14,000 tombs were discovered, complete with antique frescoes inside. Along with pottery shards and coins, ruins of an amphitheater, buildings, a Roman thermae, an aqueduct, a mausoleum, and parts of a sewer system were discovered. They all provide a vision of what life was like this once vibrant Roman city.

Tintinnabulum, which was hung near the doorways of houses and shops, was believed to serve as magical protection for the premises. This one was discovered on the porch of a large home on a main street in Viminacium.

Bronze tintinabulum in situ. Photo: Ilija Danković, Archaeological Institute
Bronze tintinabulum in situ. Photo: Ilija Danković, Archaeological Institute

“The building was destroyed in a fire, during which the porch collapsed and fell to the ground,” Ilija Danković, an archaeologist at the Institute of Archaeology in Belgrade, told the Serbian-language website Sve o Arheologiji.

The object is cast from bronze and depicts a magical phallus at the center with two legs, wings, and a tail. This central figure was adorned with four bells, noted the archaeologists. However, the original appearance of the Viminacium wind chime will be revealed following its conservation.

The ancient equivalent of modern wind catchers is wind chimes, but their significance and function in the Roman world were far more complex. They are hung in front of the doors of houses or rooms so that when they make a sound in the wind, and also with their unusual appearance, they dispel evil forces and evil eyes.

Phallus-shaped objects are found on a wide range of Roman objects, from amulets to frescoes to mosaics and lamps, and even as far as on Hadrian’s wall at the other extreme of the empire. For the Romans, such objects did not have an erotic character. This part of the human body was considered an effective weapon in the fight against the evil eye, and was also a bringer of good luck.

Sve O’Arheologiji

Cover Photo: The moment of the discovery of the tintinabulum in Viminacium. Photo: Ilija Danković, Archaeological Institute

Related Articles

2,500-Year-Old Phoenician Shipwreck Being Rescued By Spanish Archaeologists

6 July 2023

6 July 2023

A 2,500-year-old Phoenician shipwreck has been found underwater in the southeastern Spanish region of Murcia. An extraordinary Phoenician shipwreck dating...

Restoration Complete: Athena Temple in Side Reopens to the Public

24 March 2025

24 March 2025

The Athena Temple, once overshadowed by the more prominent Temple of Apollo, has emerged as a significant historical and cultural...

Excavations show the Temple of Poseidon at Samikon is more Monumental than Previously Assumed -New Discoveries

3 November 2024

3 November 2024

New excavations by archaeologists from the Austrian Academy of Sciences and the Greek Ministry of Culture in Kleidi-Samikon in the...

The very unknown ancient city of the Mediterranean; Syedra

3 July 2022

3 July 2022

Known as Turkey’s holiday paradise, the Antalya region is a treasure when it comes to ancient cities. Close to the...

Poseidon’s Trident Discovered in Lake İznik

4 May 2025

4 May 2025

The depths of Lake İznik have yielded a discovery of profound significance, instantly captivating historians and archaeologists. The recent recovery...

21 Copperplate Inscriptions discovered at Ghanta Matham in India

14 June 2021

14 June 2021

During excavations at Ghanta Matham in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh,  important 21 copper plates for the Mallikarjuna Swami...

Archaeologists Discovered a Fragmentary Inscription in Cypriot Syllabary Found Dating to the Cypro-Archaic Period

1 December 2024

1 December 2024

During excavations at Palaepaphos, located within the municipal boundaries of the modern village of Kouklia-Martsello on the southwest coast of...

Ritual Sacrifice of Pregnant Woman: Ecuador may Reflect the Community’s Fear of Her Power

28 January 2025

28 January 2025

In a remarkable archaeological find in Ecuador, researchers have uncovered the rich burial of a pregnant woman and her fetus,...

In Lake Mendota, Wisconsin archaeologists discover the oldest canoe ever found in the Great Lakes region

23 September 2022

23 September 2022

A group of divers from Madison, Wisconsin’s Lake Mendota emerged on Thursday carrying a remarkable piece of history for the...

Remains of Norman Stone Tower Defending Chichester Castle Discovered

5 June 2025

5 June 2025

A remarkable archaeological excavation in Chichester’s historic Priory Park has uncovered the remains of a Norman-era stone tower, known as...

Ancient helmets, temple ruins found at a dig in Velia southern Italy

1 February 2022

1 February 2022

A discovery that “sheds new light on the history of the mighty Greek colony” by Velia. Archaeologists in southern Italy...

Scientists Reconstruct Face Of 16th Century Italian ‘Vampire’ Buried With Brick In Mouth

23 March 2024

23 March 2024

A 16th-century ‘vampire‘ who was buried with a stone brick jammed in her mouth over fears she would feed on...

Explore 1,400-year-old ruins, submerged in Eastern China – Atlantis of China

10 June 2023

10 June 2023

Deep in Qiandao Lake, between China’s Five Lion Mountains, lie the mysterious ruins of two ancient cities, dating back to...

Treasure Hunters’ permission given to raise mystery canister in hunt for lost Nazi Gold

5 August 2022

5 August 2022

Treasure hunters claim they have permission to lift a buried canister that they believe may hold the loot next month...

One of its kind, 1,500-year-old Roman ‘Lorica Squamata’ legion armor restored

19 June 2024

19 June 2024

The 1,500-year-old Roman ‘Lorica Squamata’ legion armor, the only known example in the world, found in the ancient city of...