Female Marble Bust

Portion of the bust of a female statue preserving only the left anterior half of the torso. The figure wore a pleated garment (chiton), which drapes naturally, leaving the shoulder bare. The left shoulder appears slightly raised and thrust forward, while the arm is drawn back. This muscular contraction suggests that the figure was exerting pressure against a lateral support, while the inclination of the neck indicates that the head was slightly bent forward.

Together with another fragment of a female statue found near Temple A of the sanctuary at Capo Colonna, this piece most likely belonged to the architectural decoration of the sacred building. In particular, certain details of the workmanship—such as the rigid drapery, not fully finished where it detaches from the body—may seem somewhat awkward when viewed up close, but are perfectly calibrated for viewing from a distance and from below. This observation, combined with the presence of a large hole in the neck intended for the insertion of a metal dowel to support the head, suggests that the statue was one of the figures placed in the eastern pediment, where visitors would inevitably observe it from afar and from an oblique, elevated angle. The overall posture and the rendering of the garment—a chiton slipped off one shoulder—find iconographic parallels in representations of seated or semi-reclining female figures, such as those found in the famous sculptures of the Parthenon in Athens, dated to the 5th century BC. The marble used, imported from the Greek islands and worked by specialized craftsmen, further highlights the quality of the piece, confirming the importance of the colony of Kroton within the wider context of Magna Graecia and the Mediterranean world.