Bust of Athena/Minerva

Bust of Athena/Minerva. Blundell and Michaelis identified the head as Ptolemy because of the helmet but the features are of a female, especially the wavy hair and the curving lips. The Attic helmet makes the head identifiable as that of Athena. Much of the original features have been lost because of the restoration, the left profile though remains intact. The head and the neck were mounted on a modern bust identifiable because of the square shape and the low base with the index plate. There is a slight recession on flattened forms at the hairline on the right suggesting some recutting. There is a drill hole on the helmet, probably used for an attachment.