Romano-British statue
- Gallery: Room 49
- Culture: Romano-British
- Date: 2ndC
- Object type: statue
- Materials: limestone
- Museum number: 1978,0102.1
- Museum: The British Museum
- Collection record: British Museum website
- Image © The Trustees of the British Museum, shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence.
Listen to the free audio guide
About this object
Before you is the head of a Romano-British statue of Mercury, the Roman god of commerce and travelers. Carved from local Cotswold limestone, the head shows a highly skilled technique that matches the finest Roman styles.
If you look closely, you'll see delicate curls and a calm, dignified expression. The texture of the hair is rich, with soft, curling locks. Some fragments of the statue’s wings—perhaps placed near the top of the head—may still be visible.
This head comes from a statue uncovered at West Hill in Gloucestershire. It belonged to a statue around seven feet tall, which once stood in a temple dedicated to Mercury. Other pieces of the statue, including parts of Mercury’s animal companions, a ram and a cockerel, have also been found.
Despite some ancient damage, the face retains a serene and composed look. Made in the later second century A.D., it reflects strong Roman influences and marks a rare and impressive example of Romano-British sculpture.
See it in person
Romano-British statue is on display in Room 49 at the British Museum on Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, London — free to enter. Choose British Museum on audioguide.london and take a photo of it to hear this free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
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