2019_03_25_FYL_noticia_augusto_divinizado

In 1974, during archaeological excavations carried out in the town of Cara (Santacara, Navarra), a Roman portrait in white marble was found, which until now had been attributed to the time of Julio-Claudius. The piece was incorporated with that reference letter to the permanent exhibition of the Museum of Navarra.

Years later, Luis Romero, PhD student of the School of Philosophy and Letters of the University of Navarra, has verified that the piece conserved in the Museum of Navarra is, in fact, one of the few portraits of Augustus deified that are conserved in the peninsular north. Also, his research has shown that it would have been erected in the time of Claudius.

"After a stylistic and comparative study of the piece, we have identified the portrait as an image of Augustus from subject Prima Porta. The head wore a crown made of metallic material, of which two traces of anchor and the recess for insertion in the central part of the skull have been preserved," said Romero. In addition, he explained that "we do not know the subject crown that the representation had, but most likely it was a civic crown, although the corona triumphalis cannot be ruled out. This aspect is very significant, since it is an element that used to be made also in marble, and not in metal, as we know through numerous specimens." "Its location in the city of Cara, makes this portrait of Augustus the northernmost of those that have been located in Hispania," he added.

For his part, Professor Javier Andreu, director of the thesis of Romero, as well as of the Diploma in Archaeology of the School of Philosophy and Letters of the University of Navarra, has affirmed that "the new findings around this piece can provide us with data very important about the origins of the imperial cult in the cities of the Vascones".

The Museum of Navarra has assured that it values very positively this scientific contribution, which adds importance to a piece of its collection and places it in its true historical context with respect to the Romanization of the northern territories of the Iberian Peninsula. The portrait, now identified as Augustus deified, will change its cartouche and will be integrated into the project of update of the Romanization rooms that the Museum of Navarra is developing for 2020.

The results of the study of the piece were presented this morning at the Museum of Navarra. On the 28th, Romero will present the results at the meeting of Sculpture of Yecla (Murcia).