Marble head of Venus discovered on beach in Spain

During revitalisation work on Almadraba Beach in Alicante, Spain, a marble head dating back to the Roman Empire was discovered. The find, dating back to the 1st or 2nd century CE, may represent Venus.

The sculpture is in very good condition, with only minor damage to the nose visible. Archaeologists note the Hellenistic-influenced hairstyle, typical of representations of goddesses such as Venus and Aphrodite.

Experts are already hailing the discovery as one of the most important Roman sculpture finds in the history of the Alicante region. The area where the artifact was found has long been considered an archaeological site associated with the remains of a Roman villa and the ancient city of Lucentum.

Following the discovery, city authorities suspended further work on the beach to conduct a full archaeological survey.