PORPHYRY SCULPTURE OF THE GODDESS HYGEIA, 49 cm height, inv.no. 986/R

PORPHYRY SCULPTURE OF THE GODDESS HYGEIA, 49 cm height, inv.no. 986/R

The statue of Hygeia is also missing the head. The goddess is dressed in a long chiton falling down her legs in rich folds, over which a himation is draped. Hygeia stands in contrapposto pose, her body relying on her left foot, while her right leg is slightly bent and moved backwards. The body of the goddess is skillfully modeled, except her breasts which the artist was not able to present realistically. Hygeia’s left arm is bent at the elbow and the goddess holds a patera in it. Around the divinity’s right arm a snake is entwined, moving toward the patera. The statue stands on a rectangular pedestal on which is carved a Greek inscription which reads: “To Hygeia, Roimetalkes, diasemotatos, and his wife Philipa grateful raise the monument.”The sculpture of Hygeia from Mediana is modeled after widespread iconographic type of the goddess representation, on which she usually holds patera in her hand and a snake wrapped around one of the arms. Considering that the statue was also placed by Roimetalkes as votive gift, it can be also dated to the period from second half of 3rd century to the first decades of the 4th century.

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