Historical Treasures

This statue of the goddess sheds new light on Roman Britain Bath, 60-70 CE

The head of Minerva

On 12 July 1727, a group of workmen were digging deep beneath the main street of Bath, constructing a new sewer for the ancient city. It was as they went about this work that they suddenly uncovered a large bronze head, a representation of the goddess Sulis Minerva. Decades later, in the 1790s (during digging of the foundations for the now-famous Pump Room) a large amount of Roman sculptured stone was uncovered, evidence of a temple built by the worshippers of the goddess.

Sulis Minerva was a combination of the Celtic goddess Sulis (who had always been spiritually connected to the springs) and the Roman Minerva, the goddess of wisdom, medicine, commerce, handicrafts, poetry and the arts. In particular, historians believe that she was primarily worshipped as the goddess of healing, hence her connection to the springs, which were renowned for their healing properties. During the Roman occupation, a vast temple to Sulis Minerva was located around the principal spring, alongside a huge bathing complex and a forum.

The head is thought to be from a statue that was located within the Temple of Sulis Minerva. Above the temple was a stone frieze depicting a Gorgon (which has also been discovered) that would have looked down upon all those who entered. Visitors would then enter through a large door to the cella, a large chamber where the image of the deity would have been housed. The statue would have most likely been placed so Sulis Minerva could look across the courtyard to the great altar where sacrifices would have been made in her honour. The room would have been unlit and without any windows. However a large altar fire would have burnt before her, giving the bronze an eerie glow.

It is believed that the statue of the goddess may have been at the temple site from the time of its foundation, meaning that by the time it was destroyed it would have been around three centuries old.