Bronze head in The Roman Baths Museum
The bronze head in the Roman Baths Museum in Bath ( England , the ancient Aquae Sulis ) was found on July 12, 1727 during construction work on Stall Street in Bath. It is made of gilded bronze and is slightly more than life-size (24.7 cm high). The face is modeled somewhat expressionless and surrounded by curls. On the head there was probably once a separately worked crown. At the neck the head is separated from the rest of the body, it can be assumed that it was cut off from the former statue, which has not been preserved. This probably happened in ancient times.
Sulis - Minerva was worshiped in Bath and it is likely that the head represents this deity as it was found very close to, or perhaps even within, the temple complex of Sulis Minerva. The exact location can no longer be reconstructed today, but today's Stall Street also leads through the ancient temple district, so that it is possible that the head was found within the boundaries of this district. It is probably even the cult statue in the temple.
literature
- Barry Cunliffe : Roman Bath (= Reports of the Research Committee of the Society of Antiquaries of London 24), Oxford 1969, p. 34, plate 2.
