Commonly called the “Gorgon Head,” this fearsome image decorated a pediment that marked the entrance to the Temple of Sulis Minerva in the Romano-British town of Aquae Sulis (modern Bath Spa, in the United Kingdom). Carved from local stone, the entire pediment would have stood approximately 49 feet high—an imposing sight to those entering the temple. Discovered in 1790, the pediment (including the head) is believed to have been carved by the Gauls in the later part of the first century C.E. Snakes adorn the head’s hair and beard—held aloft by female victories (winged goddesses)—while wings sprout above its […]
