noun
- Plural of herm; squared stone pillars with a carved head (usually of Hermes) on top, used in ancient Greece as boundary markers or decorative objects.
Usage: classical; historical
Examples
- The ancient Greeks placed herms along roads to mark property boundaries.
- Herms depicting Hermes were common in Athenian gardens and public spaces.
- The museum's collection includes several marble herms from the classical period.
- Scholars study herms to understand Greek religious and civic practices.
- The vandalism of herms in Athens was considered a serious crime in antiquity.