Bath Gorgon
| Bath Gorgon | |
|---|---|
| Green Man, Latin: Sulis Minerva | |
 (Partially restored) Pediment from Temple of Sulis Minerva at Bath | |
| Year | c. 1st century C.E. |
| Medium | stone |
| Subject | Gorgon |
| Dimensions | 2.4 m × 0.30 m × 7.9 m (8 ft × 1 ft × 26 ft) |
| 51°22′52″N 2°21′36″W / 51.381°N 2.360°W | |
| Website | www |
The Bath Gorgon is a ruined pediment from the Temple of Sulis Minerva,[1][2] in the Roman Baths in Bath in Somerset, England. The pediment features a Gorgon (or water god)'s head.[1][3][4] The figure has been identified as Oceanus, and is sometimes referred to as The Green Man, a Celtic mythological figure.[5][6][7]
It was likely carved in the first century CE, by craftsmen from northern Gaul.[4][6] It was discovered by archaeologists in 1790.[1][8]
Sculpture
[edit]Originally at a height of fifteen metres, the pediment would have been supported by four fluted columns.[1] The pediment was 26 feet (7.9 m) wide and 8 feet (2.4 m) from the apex to the bottom,[9] above the pillars on the front of the building. The Gorgons head would have been c.15 metres (49 ft) from the ground. There are also several accompanying images on the pediment, such as Tritons (the half-fish and half-men servants to Neptune), a face-helmet shaped like a dolphin's head, a small owl, and female Victories standing on globes.[8][1]
In early 2010 various stones on the pediment were conserved and rearranged.[10] In 2016, planning permission was received for a new learning centre aimed at schoolchildren and linked to the baths by a tunnel. Funding was sought from the Heritage Lottery Fund, and the centre opened in 2021.[11][12][13]
Interpretations
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The central figure on the pediment of the Roman Baths (Bath), often referred to as "The Gorgon," has been subject to various interpretations. It has been identified as the sea god Oceanus and sometimes compared to the Green Man, a figure from Celtic mythology.[5][6][7]
Some scholars suggest the head represents a local Celtic sun god,[14] while others draw parallels to Roman artistic motifs, such as the Jupiter Ammon clipei found in Roman fora, which sometimes depicted local river gods in Celtic provinces.[4] The name "Gorgon" comes from the Gorgons of Greek mythology, particularly Medusa. According to myth, Perseus slew the Gorgon and presented its severed head to Athena, who placed it on her aegis. This has led the Roman Baths Museum to propose a connection between the pediment's design and the goddess Sulis Minerva, a local deity syncretized with Minerva, the Roman equivalent of Athena.[1]
However, unlike the mythological Gorgon—who is female—the Bath pediment's Gorgon is distinctly male. Some scholars argue this represents a fusion of Celtic and Roman artistic traditions.[1] Others suggest it reflects a water deity, citing similarities to depictions of Oceanus, such as on a silver dish from Mildenhall.[1]
A 2016 study by Eleri H. Cousins identified elements of imperial iconography within the pediment, including the Victories, an oak wreath, and a star at the apex.[4] Cousins also noted similarities between this imagery and architectural features in Gaul and Hispania, arguing that the Forum of Augustus served as a stylistic archetype.[4] She suggested the pediment reflects a fusion of local and empire-wide artistic influences rather than a strictly 'Roman' or 'Celtic' design.[4]
The head itself features snakes entwined within its beard, wings above its ears, prominent brows, and a heavy moustache.[15] While the presence of snakes is characteristic of Gorgon imagery, the figure's masculinity has fueled debate over its precise meaning.[16] The prevailing view among scholars is that the image represents a deliberate syncretism—combining Minerva's Gorgon emblem with the face of a local water deity associated with the sacred spring.[4]
Archaeologist R. G. Collingwood appreciated the meeting of Roman and Celtic art,[17] finding that the sculptor creator was a "skilled artist".
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h "Key objects of the collection". RomanBaths.co.uk. 2014-10-24. Archived from the original on 21 April 2021. Retrieved 2021-03-15.
- ^ Cousins, Eleri. "Springs Eternal". History Today. 71 (7 - Jul2021): 54–65. ISSN 0018-2753.
- ^ "A History of the World - Object : The Gorgon's Head Pediment, Roman Baths". BBC.co.uk.
- ^ a b c d e f g Cousins, Eleri H (2016). "An Imperial image: the Bath Gorgon in context". Britannia. 47: 99–118. doi:10.1017/S0068113X16000131. S2CID 191391802. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2020-05-09. Retrieved 2025-02-07 – via Lancs.ac.uk.
- ^ a b "The Gorgon from the Roman baths at Bath. A Possible Case of Mistaken Identity". DigitalDigging.net. February 27, 2014.
- ^ a b c Jones, Jonathan (25 July 2012). "The male Medusa: Gorgon's Head". The Guardian.
- ^ a b "The Sol-Gorgon Mystery at the Roman Baths". Edward Durand Writer.
- ^ a b "Temple pediment and Gorgon's head". RomanBaths.co.uk.
- ^ Richmond, I. A.; Toynbee, J. M. C. (1955). "The Temple of Sulis-Minerva at Bath". The Journal of Roman Studies. 45. The Roman Society: 97–105. doi:10.2307/298749. JSTOR 298749. S2CID 162695154.
- ^ "Bath Roman Baths repairs by Minerva". Minerva Stone Conservation. Retrieved 19 January 2010.
- ^ "Planning permission granted for Archway Project at the Roman Baths". The Roman Baths. 14 September 2016. Archived from the original on 18 September 2016. Retrieved 18 September 2016.
- ^ "Roman Baths learning centre planning permission granted". BBC News. 17 September 2016. Retrieved 18 September 2016.
- ^ "The Roman Baths set to reopen on 17 May". TotalGuideToBath.com. 2021.
- ^ "The Roman Baths". TimeTravel Britain. Retrieved 1 November 2007.
- ^ "New addition to Gorgon's head". Bath and North East Somerset Council. Archived from the original on 4 December 2007. Retrieved 1 November 2007.
- ^ "The Gorgon's head". Roman Baths Museum Web Site. Archived from the original on 2 November 2007. Retrieved 31 October 2007.
- ^ Mitchell, Philip Irving (July 1, 2018). "Civilizational Sickness and the Suspended Middle -R.G. Collingwood, Christopher Dawson, and Historical Judgment". Logos: A Journal of Catholic Thought and Culture. 21 (3 - Summer2018): 99. doi:10.1353/log.2018.0019. ISSN 1091-6687 – via EBSCOHost.com.
External links
[edit]Official website 
at RomanBaths.co.uk
