Bulla (amulet)

A bulla, an amulet worn like a locket, was given to male children in Ancient Rome nine days after birth.

Roman bullae were enigmatic objects of lead, sometimes covered in gold foil, if the family could afford it.

[3] A Roman girl did not wear a bulla per se,[4] but another kind of amulet called a lunula, until the eve of her marriage, when it was removed along with her childhood toys and other things.

[a] The Irish bullae so far found were made of base metal[b] – sometimes clay – covered with a folded over piece of gold foil.

The body of the bulla has roughly vertical sides before making a semi-circle or inverted pointed arch at the bottom.