The phallus that had been hidden in the thermal baths of Caldes de Montbui

BarcelonaThe Roman baths of Caldes have been studied and searched hundreds of times, but no one had seen two small gold jewels hidden between the tile gaps of the large pool, which is open to the public and where guided tours are organized. Four years ago—the discovery has not been made public to date—during the restoration of the baths, a chain and a pendant representing a phallus were found, a symbol, in ancient Roman times, of fertility and prosperity, as well as protection against adversity. "When the baths were restored in 1959, a mortar was used that we wouldn't use now because it causes a lot of dampness. We have carried out several restorations to eliminate it, and in 2021, a chain emerged from behind this mortar, and a few centimeters away, the phallic-shaped pendant. It had been there for nearly two thousand years," said director of Thermalia, Caldes de Montbui Museum.

The museum is showing the piece for the first time in The water of the Gods. The Roman thermal baths of Caldes de Montbui, An exhibition that can be seen until February 15. The piece, which someone must have lost around the 2nd century AD, is intact. "It's not common to find gold pieces from the Roman period, because gold is a coveted material that is reused and melted down to make another piece, so this is an exceptional find," says archaeologist Carme Miró, who curated the exhibition. "We've found other fascinus (the name given to this amulet that was supposed to repel evil forces, since the generative power of the phallus was considered to be protective) in other excavations, for example in Barcelona, ​​​​but they were made of bronze," adds Miró.

because only the elites could afford gold. fascinus while undergoing some treatment, because the Caldes thermal baths were not used for hygiene or socializing but rather for therapies and medical treatments. In fact, the exhibition also features the image of Apollo, which was discovered during excavations carried out between 2017 and 2018. This deity was one of the most important figures in Greek mythology, associated with medicine, music, poetry, and male beauty. The excavations also allowed, as explained in the exhibition, a better understanding of the Roman thermal complex. The oldest ones date back to the 2nd century BC, but the first clearly defined thermal complex was built in the 1st century BC and consolidated a century later. The Caldes de Montbui thermal baths reached their peak in the 2nd century AD with major renovations. It was a significant complex of some 4,000 square meters with 12 pools, even with spaces for individual treatments, which lasted until the 6th century. It was the reference spa for the elites of Tarraco and Barcino.