La Dama de Elche

What does this sculptural work that we now call Dama de Elche symbolize today and what did it represent in its time? In this work, Rafael Ramos, author of Los iberos. Images and myths of Iberia, collects all the periods in which the Lady of Elche has been a participant in history. The piece is analyzed exhaustively, including everything known about it so far and exposing new hypotheses, brave but based on the extensive knowledge that the author has of Iberian society and, above all, of its ritual and religiousness. From the end of the 19th century until today there are many situations in which the Iberian bust has been the protagonist. Its discovery and sale generate an exciting story due to the elements that converge in it, but no less exciting is its departure from the Louvre Museum and its return to Spain. The Iberian anthropomorphic sculpture is one of the most important components of the so-called Iberian culture, which allows us to understand it integrated into a Mediterranean phenomenon that developed in certain places in its coastal territories. Few recognized characters cover as many historical moments as the Lady of Elche does. During her life, he was someone of social relevance in her environment, but as an archaeological piece it far exceeds its popularity from the moment of its discovery. A reference work for those passionate about the Iberian world, its archeology and the mythical Lady of Elche.