Vénus de Quinipily

Breton mythology and folkloreBuildings and structures in MorbihanGardens in MorbihanMonuments and memorials in FranceMonuments historiques of Morbihan ... and 4 more

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The Vénus de Quinipily (French pronunciation: [venys də kinipili], Breton: Ar groareg Houarn/Groah Hoart, English: The Iron Lady) is an ancient statue of uncertain origins, located southeast of Baud, Morbihan, Brittany, in north–western France. It is approximately 2.2 metres (7.2 ft) in height and carved from granite. The statue represents a naked woman and stands in front of a fountain on a 2.75 m high granite pedestal. The large basin beneath the statue is also carved out of a single granite block. It is believed that the statue may be of Greek, Roman or Egyptian origin. There is similar uncertainty about its subject; it may be a Celtic deity, the Roman Mother goddess Cybele, or an Egyptian Isis statue. It was originally erected at the site of a former Roman camp in Castennec in Bieuzy-les-Eaux, a commune in the Morbihan department in Brittany. It was the centre of superstitious rites in Brittany for centuries and became an object of a pagan veneration. At the request of the Bishop of Vannes, the statue was thrown into the Blavet river twice; first in 1661 and then again in 1670, but recovered both times, first in 1664 and then in 1695 by Pierre de Lannion, the Lord of Blavet Quinipily. In 1701, the statue was substantially altered and placed in its present position at Quinipily where a garden has been created to showpiece the ancient monument. The statue is classified under Monument historique – a National Heritage Site of France on 24 August 1993. The heritage protection was made applicable from 18 November 1943. It is indexed in the Base Mérimée – a database of architectural heritage maintained by the French Ministry of Culture.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Vénus de Quinipily (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors, Images).