dama elche iberian v 3d model - DAMA DE ELCHE IBERIAN V CENTURY BC STATUE SCULPTURE HEAD by De Espona

The “Dama de Elche”, an icon of Iberian art dated between the 5th and 4th centuries BC, will be on display in this town in Alicante province until November. It is an extraordinary testimony to a civilisation that inhabited Spain more than 2,500 years ago. It is not the only one, however. There are other female figures from the same period, also of great artistic value.

Spain has seen many different civilisations come and go. Archaeological discoveries mean that their legacy can be experienced to this day. This is what happened, for example, in 1897, when a young peasant from Elche, in the province of Alicante, came across the bust of a woman carved in limestone. This bust has since become the town’s symbol. This is the Dama de Elche (Lady of Elche). The figure represents a priestess. She has an enigmatic gaze and the piece is worked with impressive skill. It is the pinnacle of Iberian art. The Iberians lived in Spain in the 6th-3rd centuries BC. This civilisation was outstanding for its detailed sculpting of women’s personal adornments (jewels, necklaces, diadems, earrings…).