Plural form of herma, referring to multiple squared stone pillars with carved heads, traditionally used as boundary markers or protective figures in ancient Greece.
Greek plural of 'herma,' derived from Hermes; this form directly reflects the Greek plural system and became standard in English when discussing classical art and archaeology.
The famous 'Mutilation of the Hermae' in 415 BCE Athens was such a shocking crime that it triggered mass paranoia and executions—stone heads were political symbols that literally could start wars.
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