The head of an ancient statue of Dionysus was recently discovered near the ancient Forum in Rome. Archaeologists had been excavating a medieval wall when they happened upon the white marble head which had been reused in the construction of the wall. They believe the head to be from a 2000-year-old marble statue of Dionysus. The hollowed-out eyes were once likely filled with glass or precious stones. While the marble bust has not yet undergone a thorough cleaning, the excavators believe traces of the original color may be visible in the band around the hair. Dionysus was worshiped widely in the ancient world as the god of wine, winemaking, theater and revelry. In ancient Greece he was one of the 12 Olympians and was later incorporated into the Roman pantheon as Bacchus. Temples to Dionysus have been discovered in numerous biblical cities, including Athens and Pergamon.
Off-site Links:
- https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/05/27/2000-year-old-marble-head-god-dionysus-discovered-rome/
- https://www.thelocal.it/20190528/ancient-marble-head-of-god-dionysus-discovered-under-rome
