Lady of Elche
by Pablo Lopez
Title
Lady of Elche
Artist
Pablo Lopez
Medium
Photograph - Digital Image
Description
The Lady of Elx or Lady of Elche (in Spanish, Dama de Elche) is a limestone bust that was discovered in 1897, at La Alcudia, an archaeological site on a private estate two kilometers south of Elche, Spain. It is currently exhibited in the National Archaeological Museum of Spain in Madrid.
It is generally known as an Iberian artifact from the 4th century BC, although the artisanship suggests strong Hellenistic influences. According to The Encyclopedia of Religion, the Lady of Elche is believed to have a direct association with Tanit, the goddess of Carthage, who was worshiped by the Punic-Iberians. Similarly, the sculpture presents features of the Celtiberian culture (the mitre and the pendants) and the own Iberian (fibula).
The originally polychromed bust is thought to represent a woman wearing an elaborate headdress and large wheel-like coils (known as rodetes) on each side of the face. The opening in the rear of the sculpture indicates it may have been used as a funerary urn.
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November 18th, 2020
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