The study discusses the role of a wet nurse regarding the protection of a child in ancient Egypt. There is evidence of the phenomenon of the wet nurse dating from the Old Kingdom’s Pyramid texts, depictions in tombs from the New kingdom, to contracts between the wet nurse and her employer from the Late Period. They were most frequent in royal and elite families and made it possible for the mother to participate in social activities without worrying about feeding her baby, as well as being a symbol for economic wealth.  Wet nurses have been found depicted in funerary contexts, holding ritual protective objects, and been mentioned in protective spells targeted towards children. This shows that the wet nurse had a part in the protection of a child and the intention behind this study is to discuss her participation in it and what it involves. The sources used in this study are to contain two subjects to be of relevance: wet nurse and the protection of a child, which lead to a restricted amount of material to analyse. The material studied contains of amulets, serpent staffs, three apotropaic wands, depictions from two graves and one protective spell. The analysis resulted in a conclusion claiming that the practice of protection is a part of the wet nurse’s occupation and were practiced with at least an apotropaic wand. Moreover, the depiction of her holding apotropaic wands in funerary contexts representing rebirth shows that the wet nurse is present and offering protection in the events of a child’s birth.

The aim of this study is to explore the relationship between apotropaic decorations, here termed as apotropaic devices, and the architectural layout of an average Roman bathhouse. Moreover, to argue for the hypothesis that there was an apotropaic decorative program, i.e. an intentional plan for the placement of apotropaic devices within a Roman bathhouse. A sample of decorations are analysed, specifically 16 mosaics which constitute the main material, which is divided into three categories, namely, labyrinth, geometric/grid and Gorgon mosaics. Along with these there is supplementary material, namely, three freestanding sculptures (one hunchback and two herms) and two mosaics with inscriptions (One Greek and one Latin, both with a phallus symbol). The material is analysed with a modified phenomenological framework in mind, focusing on the experience which a bather might have had of the decoration itself and the room/space in which it was placed. Moreover, in order to argue for this hypothetical decorative program, this study constructs a hypothetical plan/map of an average Roman bathhouse based on the analysed material. The results gained from the analysis reveal patterns that seem to indicate a deeper intentionality than mere aesthetic appeal, and in turn these patterns seem to indicate, when viewed via our conceptual plan/map, some sort of apotropaic defence of Roman bathhouses. Thus, these results seem to lend credence to the hypothesis of an apotropaic decorative program. / Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka förhållandet mellan apotropeiska dekorationer, här kallade apotropeiska anordningar, och den arkitektoniska utformningen av ett genomsnittligt romerskt badhus. Vidare syftar studien till att argumentera för hypotesen att det fanns ett apotropaiskt dekorativt program, det vill säga en avsiktlig plan för placeringen av apotropeiska anordningar i ett romerskt badhus. Ett urval av dekorationer analyseras i studien, närmare bestämt 16 mosaiker som utgör huvudmaterialet, som är indelat i tre kategorier, nämligen labyrint, geometrisk/rutnät och Gorgon mosaik. Utöver dessa analyseras kompletterande material såsom tre fristående skulpturer (en puckelrygg och två hermer) och två mosaiker med inskriptioner (en grekisk och en latinsk, båda med fallossymbol). Materialet analyseras med en modifierad fenomenologisk ram i åtanke, med fokus på den upplevelse som en badgäst kan ha haft av själva utsmyckningen och rummet/utrymmet där den placerades. I syfte att argumentera för detta hypotetiska dekorativa program konstruerar denna studie en hypotetisk plan/karta över ett genomsnittligt romerskt badhus baserat på det analyserade materialet. Resultaten från analysen avslöjar mönster som tycks indikera en djupare intentionalitet än enbart estetiskt tilltalande. I sin tur verkar dessa mönster indikera, när de ses via studiens konceptuella plan/karta, något slags apotropeiskt försvar av romerska badhus. Således verkar dessa resultat ge trovärdighet åt hypotesen om ett apotropeiskt dekorativt program.