Votive art - that which was dedicated to the gods - was common in the ancient world, and considered a powerful way to connect and curry favour with the gods. It took various forms: larger depictions of mythology on stele, friezes and bizarre sculptures such as human faces set in stone pillars, as well as smaller pieces of pottery and jewellery. Small engravings of gods and myths on rings and necklaces were common, as were tablets and pottery bearing religious dedications. Votive offerings were generally placed in a sacred place, with no intention of ever being recovered. In ancient Greece, the temples of Olympia and Delphi contained treasuries to store the great many offerings, as well as large sums of money, given as tribute to the various Greek deities.
