Sulis Minerva Bronze Head

Sulis Minerva Bronze Head, Roman Baths, Bath

History | Access | Roman Remains in Britain

One of the highlights of the Roman Baths in Bath is the gilt bronze head of a statue of Sulis Minerva. The piece was found in 1727 and is extremely rare. Only two other gilt bronze pieces exist from Roman Britain.

Sulis was the local Celtic goddess of Bath’s thermal spas and was syncretized and Romanized as Sulis Minerva. Minerva is the Roman adaption of the original Greek goddess Athena – associated with medicine, poetry, and believed to be the inventor of music.

Minerva is the Roman adaption of the original Greek goddess Athena

History

The head is believed by archaeologists to be from the large cult statue of Sulis Minerva that stood in her temple near the sacred spring at Bath.

A Corinthian helmet is thought to have been attached to the head from rivet holes visible in the hair. The statue is believed to date from the 1st century AD and to have suffered damage at the hand of Christian iconoclasts in the 4th century AD or possibly later in a barbarian raid.

The Minerva head

Access – Getting There

The Roman Baths (www.romanbaths.co.uk)
Abbey Church Yard
Bath
BA1 1LZ
Tel: +44 (0)1225 477785

The head on display

Opening Hours

January – February
9.30 am-4.30 pm exit 5.30 pm
March – June
9 am-5 pm exit 6 pm
July – August
9 am-9 pm exit 10 pm
September – October
9 am-5 pm exit 6 pm
November – December
9.30 am-4.30 pm exit 5.30 pm