Ancient Hellenistic Marble Head of Aphrodite Goddess of Erotic Love

Period: 200 BC-100BC

Origin: Greece

Medium: Marble

Dimension: 8.5 x 6.5 x 8 cm (3³/₈ x 2¹/₂ x 3¹/₈ inches)

Provenance: Ex Private English collection 
Acquired with a collection of Books from the Beckford Society in the 1980’s reputedly part of the Library of William Beckford at Fonthill Abbey

Literature: Aphrodite was a Greek goddess born in the sea foam off Cyprus who became the irresistible embodiment of love and sex. The island has long been known as ‘Love’s Island’ because it was her traditional birthplace.  Owing to its position only forty miles from the coast of Asia Minor and adjacent to the great trade routes, Cyprus was a great melting pot of races and a fertile seed bed of religious systems. It was here that Greek art and culture transformed the Asiatic cults of Ishtar, Asarte, Ashteroth or Mylitta into the worship of Aphrodite. Much later, St Paul and St Barnabas were the first to preach Christianity here beyond the mainland of Asia.