Lady of Guardamar facts for kids
The Lady of Guardamar (Dama de Guardamar in Spanish) is an ancient stone statue of a woman. It's about 50 centimetres (20 in) (20 inches) tall. Experts believe it was made around 400 BCE. This amazing piece of art was found in many broken pieces. It was discovered on September 22, 1987, in an old Phoenician site. This site is called Cabezo Lucero, located in Guardamar del Segura, a town in Alicante province, Spain.
Contents
Finding the Lady of Guardamar
When the Lady of Guardamar was found, it was in many small parts. First, a large piece of her special headgear was discovered. Then, more parts of the statue of this ancient Iberian lady appeared. One big piece included her headdress, face, and neck. These parts looked similar to another famous statue, the Lady of Elche.
The statue had been broken into many pieces. Some parts even showed signs of being burned. All these fragments were taken to a special lab. This lab was at the Provincial Archaeological Museum of Alicante.
Putting the Pieces Back Together
A restorer named Vincent Bernabeu started the careful work. He began by washing and identifying each tiny piece. First, he found the chin, then the lips, then parts of the collar and chest. Many other fragments didn't fit together. They were not part of the carved surface of the statue.
The very careful and hard work of putting the statue back together began in October 1987. It took many months. The restoration was finally finished in June 1988.
What the Lady Looks Like
The restored statue is made from a fine, grayish type of stone called limestone. The Lady is wearing a tunic. This is a simple dress with a round neckline.
Her Special Headgear and Jewelry
She has a wavy headband across her forehead. This band connects to two large, round pieces on each side of her head. These round pieces are called rodetes. They look like hollow wheels. They were probably made of thin metal in real life. Above her headband and rodetes, the Lady wears a mantle. This is a type of cloak. It has very detailed carvings that show how the fabric draped.
The necklaces the Lady wears are all different. One necklace has seven round beads called bullae. They are all the same, except for the one in the middle, which has grooves. Below this, she wears another necklace. This one has larger bullae. Some are shaped like curved triangles, and others are semicircular at the bottom.
Closer to her neck, she wears a string of beads. These beads are shaped like olives, spheres (round balls), and flat disks. Above this, there is another string of spherical beads. This one has two flat plates in the center. In ancient times, these beads would have been made from a shiny, glass-like material. Similar beads have been found in other ancient sites.
When Was the Lady Made?
The style of the Lady of Guardamar looks a bit older than other statues from the same time. These include the Lady of Baza or the Lady of Elche. Her features look more typically Iberian.
Nothing found at the site is newer than 300 BCE. The site was most active between 430 and 350 BCE. Because of this, experts believe the Lady was likely made between 400 and 370 BCE.
See also
In Spanish: Dama de Guardamar para niños
Images for kids
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The Lady of Guardamar after restoration
