The Hand of Sabazios! This ritual relic pops up here in there in archaeology from Asia through Europe. A cult which began in Asia Minor, Sabazios was quickly appropriated by the Greeks and then Romans, often appearing beside Hermes and Pan. These bronze hands were probably used in both altar niches and processions, where they were mounted on sticks. Feel the power, raise the snake, speak the words!

You can now get the Hand of Sabazios in the Visionary Fuel shop thanks to the always awesome design work of Stephanie Johnson (hire her to make your cool stuff!)

Sabazio is a fascinating and tantalisingly fluid figure. As Margarita Tacheva-Hitova writes:

On a marble slab from Philippopolis, Sabazios is depicted as a curly-haired and bearded central deity among several gods and goddesses. Under his left foot is a ram’s head, and he holds in his left hand a sceptre tipped with a hand in the benedictio latina gesture. Sabazios is accompanied by busts on his right depicting Luna, Pan, and Mercury, and on his left by Sol, Fortuna, and Daphne.

You can get this fascinating design on tees, totes, stickers, mugs and more. Drop by the shop! Help out an out-of-work itinerant academic.