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RESEARCH PRODUCT
Breast Cancer in Two Ex‑Votos, A Millennia Apart: Patients’ Hope and Faith Expressed Through the Centuries in Votive Offerings
Vittorio GebbiaDario PiazzaMaria Rosaria ValerioJessica Joy Di PaolaNicola Cusumanosubject
Art and medicine · Cancer care · Social history · Ancient medicine · Medical humanitiesSettore L-ANT/02 - Storia GrecaSettore MED/06 - Oncologia MedicaReligious studiesGeneral MedicineGeneral Nursingdescription
A votive offering or ex-voto includes a variety of usually non-professional artworks offered to divinities and placed in religious sites to fulfill a vow or in gratitude for recovery from an illness or injury. Unfortunately, the ancient period lacks a scientifically verifiable understanding of the true nature of cancer and its natural history and, consequently, a lack of effective treatment. This paper discusses two ex-votos potentially related to breast cancer distant more than 2000 years, one from the other. The ex-votos convey the complex relationship of humans with illness through an art expression stemming from the heart and minds of ordinary people.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-02-28 |