From Wikipedia
In ancient Rome, a tintinnabulum (less often tintinnum) was a wind chime or assemblage of bells. A tintinnabulum often took the form of a bronze ithyphallic figure or of a fascinum, a magico-religious phallus thought to ward off the evil eye and bring good fortune and prosperity.
A tintinnabulum acted as a door amulet. These were hung near thresholds at a shop or house, under the peristyles (around the inner courtyard or garden) by the bedroom, or the venereum, where the wind would cause them to tinkle. They were also made to ring like doorbells, a series of them being tied to cord attached to a bell pull.
Frequently asked questions
What does a tintinnabulum sound like?
Sources & credits
- Wikidata Q7808522 – CC0
- Wikipedia: Tintinnabulum (ancient Rome) – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Image by Kleon3 – CC BY-SA 4.0