Ancient Conceptions of the Human Uterus: Italic Votives and Animal Wombs.

This article examines the numerous votive uterine figurines found in central Italy from the fourth to first centuries BCE, arguing that their forms were modeled on the pregnant bicornuate uteri of domesticated animals rather than on direct human anatomical observation. Despite the votives’ resemblance to the human simplex uterus, ancient medical texts and anatomical depictions indicate that animal uteri—particularly those of cattle, sheep, and goats—were central to classical conceptions of the uterus, influencing both visual and theoretical understandings. Features such as thumb-like appendages and nodules on the votives correspond to anatomical traits of pregnant animal uteri, including non-gravid horns and placentomes, reflecting the agrarian context where animal anatomy was routinely observed. The article situates these votives within a broader ancient tradition that blended animal anatomy with theoretical models to conceptualize the human uterus, highlighting the enduring influence of animal-based anatomical knowledge in antiquity.