Dienekes' Anthropology Blog: The True Face of Julius Caesar?

This is posted via Dieneke's Anthropology Blog, and concerns the recent discovery of a bust found in the Rhône - the find is being touted as a representation of Julius Caesar, although as is apparent from the comments, there is no conclusive proof that this is the case.

Although I have checked this blog in the past, I've tended to skim through the abstracts without reading through the comments, which in a sense is where the action happens, as there is a fair amount of lively discussion to be found therein, and is well worth checking out.

Here's an excerpt from the Daily Telegraph who report on the same story...

Among other items in the treasure trove of ancient objects is a 5.9 foot marble statue of Neptune, dated to the third century.

Two smaller statues, both bronze and measuring 27.5 inches, were also found. One of them, a satyr with his hands tied behind his back, “doubtless” originated in Hellenic Greece, the ministry said.

“Some [of the discoveries] are unique in Europe,” said Christine Albanel, the French culture minister, who added that the bust of Caesar was an outstanding discovery and in a class of its own.

“This marble bust of the founder of the Roman city of Arles constitutes the most ancient representation known today of Caesar,” a ministry statement said, adding that it “undoubtedly” dates to the creation of Arles in 46 B.C.

Among other things, researchers are trying to uncover “in what context these statues were thrown into the river,” said Michel L’Hour, who heads the Department of Subaquatic Archaeological Research, whose divers made the discovery between September and October last year.

Arles is also the town where Vincent Van Gogh settled in 1888, as we see from this...

In February 1888 van Gogh settled at Arles, where he painted more than 200 canvases in 15 months. During this time he sold no pictures, was in poverty, and suffered recurrent nervous crises with hallucinations and depression.

He became enthusiastic for the idea of founding an artists' co-operative at Arles and towards the end of the year he was joined by Gauguin. But as a result of a quarrel between them van Gogh suffered the crisis in which occurred the famous incident when he cut off his left ear (or part of it), an event commemorated in his Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear (Courtauld Institute, London).