Head of a statue of Hermes
Archaeological museum of ancient Messene
264 5
Link copied
Head of a statue of Hermes
300 – 499
Archaeological museum of ancient Messene
Roman villa, east of the Asclepieion, ancient Messene
Statue
MarbleHeight: 3 cm
Head of a statue of Hermes. Found in 1966 at the site where the hall with the opus sectile floors was excavated at ancient Messene in 1989. The hair covers the entire head; it falls in curls, formed with a drill; two wings project from the hair. The eyes are rendered with deep grooves and hollowed-out pupils. The nostrils are similarly formed and the half open mouth is well outlined. Product of a local folk workshop of the second half of the 4th cent. CE, the statue was made on a re-used hellenistic female one. Its stylistic features are common in later, early christian portraits and in consular and royal diptychs of the 5th cent. CE.