Exploring Kent's Past

It should not be assumed that this site is publicly accessible and it may be on private property. Do not trespass.

Monument details

Summary

A Roman statue made of oolite of a part-draped female, about three quarter life size was found at Dover on a site which may have been a Roman public building such as a bath. (location accurate to the nearest 10m based on available information)

Monument Types

• STATUE (Roman - 43 AD? to 409 AD?)

Associated Finds

• STATUE (Roman - 43 AD? to 409 AD?)

Full description

If you do not understand anything on this page please contact us.

(summarised from sources) A Roman statue made of oolite of a part-draped female, about three quarter life size was found at Dover on a site which may have been a Roman public building such as a bath. It was discovered lying on one of the floors of the building, but whether it originally stood in the room or been thrown in there at the time of construction of the Roman Saxon Shore fort or St. Martin’s in not known. The statue is of a standing nude female figure, 3 feet 10 inches high. The mutilated state of the statue rendered it impossible to give an adequate idea of its beauty or original outline, as the surface had entirely decayed away. The legs are partly draped with the left crossed in front of the right. The fragment of drapery that survives is wrapped around her right leg and below her buttocks, the folds and creases are elaborately stylised. The wrapping of the drapery between the legs is highly unusual and it is highly probable that the sculptor employed a model to achieve and copy this effect. She leans forward and her upper body twists to her left, the tilt of her head indicates that she also looked down in this direction. Her hair is drawn back from her forehead on either side of her face in a series of wavy locks and long strands hang down over both shoulders. She wears a diadem of lanceolate leaves (myrtle or laurel leaves are also possible) which is ornamented with a central rosette. The crossed-legged pose is relatively unusual though other examples do exist and are often shown leaning on a support, no such support has been located with the Dover example and it is possible that it has been lost. The arms and feet are missing but the remaining stumps of the arms suggests that the vanished limbs were held out in front of the figure, possibly grasping her drapery, which might explain the heavily creased effect. It has been described as an image of Venus, but given the stance of the piece, it may have been a water nymph and once held a jar, from which water could have flowed as part of a fountain, but there is no evidence to confirm this. (1-5)

<1> Beeson, A., 2004, The Venus of Dubris – An exceptional piece of sculpture from Roman Dover (Article in serial). SKE27024.

<2> Scott Roberston, 1893, Archaeologia Cantiana: The old Church of St. Martin, at Dover. Vol 20 (Article in serial). SKE31793.

<3> Frank Jenkins, 1958, Archaeologia Cantiana: The Cult of the Pseudo-Venus in Kent Vol. 72. (Article in serial). SKE31779.

<4> George Payne, 1889, Archaeologia Cantiana: On a Roman Statue and other remains in the Dover Museum Vol. 18 (Article in serial). SKE31795.

<5> E. G. J. Amos and R. E. M. Wheeler, 1929, Archaeological journal: The Saxon Shore fortress at Dover Vol. 86 (Article in serial). SKE31895.

Sources and further reading

Related records