For the first time, the bronze head and left hand of the Hellenistic statue of the Armenian goddess Anahit have arrived in Armenia, following a historic loan from the British Museum. These pieces will be the centerpiece of a six-month exhibition titled “Mother Goddess: from Anahit to Mary”, held at the History Museum of Armenia. The exhibition will open on September 21, 2024, coinciding with Armenia’s Independence Day, and will run until March 21, 2025.
The statue of Anahit was discovered in 1871 in Satala (modern-day Sadak, Erzurum, Turkey) by a peasant while farming. The 2nd or 1st century BC statue is traditionally linked to Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty, but has been associated with her Armenian counterpart Anahit, goddess of fertility, healing, wisdom, and water. The worship of Goddess Anahit in the Armenian Highlands dates back to ancient times and is closely tied to the veneration of motherhood. Her main temple was located in Yeriza, Upper Armenia, and was looted in 34 B.C. during an invasion led by Roman General Mark Antony. His soldiers destroyed the golden statue of Anahit, taking the fragments to Rome. According to legend, the first soldier who attacked the statue was struck blind, went mad, and died shortly after.
The relics of the statue passed through several antiquities dealers before Italian art dealer Alessandro Castellani sold the head to the British Museum in 1873 and later donated the left hand in 1875. This is the first time these fragments have been exhibited in Armenia. A replica of the statue is preserved at the Museum of the History of Armenia.
In addition to the bronze bust of Anahit, the exhibition will include several other artifacts, positioning the statue as the centerpiece of a broader cultural showcase. The exhibition is expected to become one of the main events in Armenia’s cultural calendar and will run until March 21, 2025 at the History Museum of Armenia.
This exhibition is the result of close cooperation between the History Museum of Armenia and the British Museum, marking a significant milestone for Armenia’s cultural heritage.
