Colossal statue of Goddess Minerva

Minerva is considered the deity of just warfare, wisdom and useful arts. She is often depicted with symbols such as the owl, the olive tree or an armor equipped with a shield and spear.

This Goddess was so important that she was venerated in every part of the Roman Empire, including the city of Castro, where a temple was erected in her honor. Unfortunately, this has been almost entirely lost, but recent archaeological excavations have brought to light some fragments, still visible in the Archaeological Museum.

The discovery of a headless woman's bust dates to 2015, wearing a short, finely draped kilt that dominates a longer dress.

Studies believe that the important finding of her belongs to a cult statue depicting the goddess Minerva with her right arm along her side and the left raised to support a spear.

This colossus was also placed on a basal structure in local monolithic blocks and protected by a balustrade very similar to the Lecce Baroque.

The complete statue must have been three or four meters high, made of Lecce stone and ascribable to the second half of the 4th century BC. The style seems to be attributable to a Tarentine matrix, where there were schools that operated throughout the Messapian Salento.

The bust was found 3 meters below the excavation surface, placed on its side, as if it had been deliberately placed, in order to seal the sacredness and venerability of the deity after the demolition of the old Templar building.

Subsequent excavations have unearthed the goddess's right arm, a phalanx and the palm of the left hand. These extraordinary finds leave good hopes for the complete recovery of the statue and, in particular, for the recovery of the most important part: the head.

Moreover, three feet were found in April 2021. This suggests the presence of a second statue.

De facto, in march 2022, exactly during the very last days of excavation, a plot twist: the discovery of the bust of the colossal statue, a find 160 cm high. Immediately, the event aroused great interest in the scientific community. After just one year of study and restoration, the colossal statue of Athena, more than 3 metres high, finally came to light in 2023 and was quickly a great success among visitors.

Castro continues to amaze, because the discovery of the bust of the gigantic statue of Athena was only the beginning. There is still so much to discover below.