Conference Paper

Evidence is elusive for the dedication of amulets in the Demeter and Kore sanctuary in ancient Corinth because no literary or epigraphic sources referring to the dedicatory practices that took place in it have survived. On the other hand, the sanctuary’s plentiful published material evidence, especially the terracotta figurines and sculpture, is very helpful in bridging that gap. These publications suggest that many of the finds were probably offered in association with family-related issues such as birth, marriage, death and the household, and referred to the main deities’ protection of human and agricultural fertility. These notions are now further supported by several, mostly unpublished, small terracotta and bronze finds, which may be defined as amulets that were dedicated in the sanctuary. The focus of this paper is to present these finds, their chronological framework and relevant manufacture details, to discuss their possible function as amulets, and to offer interpretations regarding their apotropaic power in the sanctuary.