Lar Farnese model 3 Lararium -3D MODEL

The Lares, minor deities guardians specific to a family, locale, community, or institution, originate from the Etruscan word Lar, meaning “lord.” Originally gods of cultivated fields, each household worshipped them at crossroads where their allotments met others. Later, they were revered in homes alongside the Penates, gods of family prosperity and the storeroom, with the household Lar Familiaris at the cult’s center. Divided into two categories: Lares domestici, protecting the home, and Lares publici, safeguarding public institutions like cities, they were believed to influence events within their sphere. Traditional Roman households celebrated them annually, offering daily food and cult rituals, and associating them with the home. Represented by metal or wax statuettes, typically kept together in a wall recess or small family shrine called a Lararium.