noun
- A squared stone pillar with a carved head (usually of Hermes or another deity) on top, used in ancient Greece as a boundary marker or ornament.
Usage: Also called a herm; plural: hermae or hermas; Classical/historical term
Examples
- The ancient Greeks placed hermae at crossroads and garden entrances.
- Archaeologists discovered a herma with the head of Hermes in the ruins.
- The herma served both a religious and practical purpose in Greek society.
- Many hermae featured inscriptions honoring the gods.
- The museum's collection includes several marble hermae from the Classical period.