The paper is dealing with the forms of votive religion in a region of Italy, corresponding
to the modern Abruzzo, which during ancient times had been inhabited by Italic people,
such as Pretuzi, Vestini, Equi, Marsi, Peligni and Marrucini. It addresses chronological
issues, (i.e., the onset of votive offerings, their relationship with cult places and sacred
buildings, and the moment on their disappearence), problems related to the meaning to
be attributed to the different types of supply (bronze, terracotta, pottery) and historicalideological
issues, particularly with regard to theme of the Romanization of the territory
and of the adhesion of different social classes to a model of religious import. Finally,
some examples illustrate the problem of the relationship between a votive offering and
the worship of a particular deity.
