Marble bust believed to depict Roman goddess of love found during excavations at Alicante beach
Archaeologists have also uncovered the foundations of houses and rooms belonging to a Roman villa used between the 3rd century BCE and the 4th century CE.
Venus, and her Greek counterpart Aphrodite, is often regarded in mythology as the “mother” of Rome - having been cast as the mother of the Trojan hero Aeneas, depicted by Virgil as the ancestor of Romulus and Remus who founded Rome.
Featuring a Hellenistic-inspired hairstyle, with wavy hair that is drawn back with a middle part, the bust aligns with the classical depiction of Venus, explained José Manuel Pérez Burgo, head of Integral Heritage at Alicante City Council.
"The chronology,” said Burgo, “therefore, pending a more exhaustive report, both in terms of style and context, would place it between the 1st and 2nd centuries CE.”
The bust also appears similar to sculptures commonly displayed on plinths in the homes of ancient Rome’s upper class, explained Alicante Culture Counciller Nayma Beldjilali.
It is a “Roman head of great artistic quality and in an excellent state of preservation which, according to the specialists,” Beldjilali added, emphasizing the importance of the discovery as one of the “most important finds of a Roman sculpture in the entire history of Alicante and its province."
Roman villa also found nearby
Archaeological surveys of the area have been carried out since 2009 as part of La Almadraba’s redevelopment project, the council explained in its statement.
During the surveys, archaeologists have uncovered the foundations of houses and rooms belonging to a Roman villa used between the 3rd century BCE and the 4th century CE.
Well-preserved pottery shards and Roman coins were also found alongside the ancient villa’s foundations.
Further excavation and analysis is still being finalized by the company Arpa Patrimonio, under the supervision of the municipality’s Integrated Heritage department.
Several Greek, Roman statues discovered internationally
Several statues and depictions of Venus (or Aphrodite) and other dieties from the Greek and Roman pantheons have been discovered recently worldwide.
Last week, Egypt’s Tourism and Antiquities Ministry announced that it had unearthed a similar marble head belonging to a statue of Aphrodite during excavations in Ihnasya Al Madinah.
Ihnasya, also known by its Greek name Heracleopolis (“City of Heracles”) served in antiquity as the capital of Upper Egypt’s 20th name.
Like the bust discovered in Alicante, the marble head found in Egypt had a curly hair style and facial features reminiscent of those to depict deities and prominent figures.
In early May, archaeologists in Egypt’s Alexandria discovered several statues of Greek and Roman dieties, including Bacchus (Roman god of wine and revelry), Asclepius (Greek god of medicine), and a headless statue believed to depict the Roman wisdom goddess Minerva.
The statues were found among several other artifacts, including coins, lamps, pottery vessels, and amphorae fragments, unearthed at the site.
Similarly, in April, a statue of Athena, the Greek goddess of war and wisdom, was during excavations in the ancient city of Laodicea on the Lycus near Denizli.
Standing at approximately two meters tall and missing its head, the statue was found lying face down in rubble along the postskene (exterior facade) of Laodicea’s Western Theatre’s stage building.
Made entirely of white marble, Athena is depicted as wearing a sleeveless peplos garment and a cape (“hylamis”) around her neck. Across her chest is the famed aegis, displaying the snake-covered head of Medusa.
Based on the statue's artistic style, archaeologists have dated it to the reign of the first Roman Emperor Augustus, who ruled between 27 BCE and 14 CE.
While the back of the statue is thought to have been left rough and unpolished due to the statue’s placement between the theater’s columns, the artistry put into Athena’s garments points towards the hands of a skilled sculptor.
Roman discovery at La Almadraba (Alicante): 1st-2nd century bust of Venus | AlacantíTV
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