How the Roman Villa of Salar was discovered, one of Spain’s archaeological treasures

The Roman Villa of Salar is located in eastern Baetica, a heavily Romanized region known for its wealth and large-scale production of olive oil, wine, and wheat. The site was discovered in 2004, although it was nearly destroyed during the construction of the town’s wastewater treatment plant.

Today, it is considered one of the most important Roman villas in Hispania because of its remarkable state of preservation and the extensive mosaic collection housed within it. Excavations carried out in 2006 revealed the pars urbana, or residential section, of this luxurious estate to the public for the first time.

The villa dates back to the 1st century A.D., during the reign of Tiberius. However, the appearance it has today is the result of a major renovation completed during the first half of the 4th century. Toward the end of the 5th century, the property was abandoned by its owners, although parts of the residence continued to be used until it was ultimately destroyed by a fire in the early 6th century.

Thanks to excavations conducted by the University of Granada, archaeologists have documented the residence of the dominus, or estate owner, representing approximately 10 percent of the entire villa complex. The residence featured a central peristyle courtyard and two large corridors, one of which opened into the triclinium, or formal dining room, connected to a nymphaeum, as well as another vaulted chamber.

These excavations also uncovered one of the most valuable archaeological treasures in Spain’s cultural heritage: the Venus Pudica, a 2nd-century A.D. sculpture carved from Pentelic marble and discovered at the Roman Villa of Salar in Granada.

Discovered in 2018

The sculpture was uncovered in 2018 and follows the model of Praxiteles’ Venus de Cnido, created around 360 B.C. and later popularized throughout the Roman world through the Capitoline Venus. Crafted from Pentelic marble, the statue was installed in the villa during the first half of the 3rd century A.D.

The piece, measuring about 18.5 inches tall, depicts the goddess emerging from a bath while wearing an elaborate hairstyle. It survived because, during the villa’s later occupation, it was repurposed as a step in one of the walkways, which protected it from destruction.

The Venus Pudica, together with the two nymph statues, is currently housed at the Archaeological Museum of Granada, although officials from Salar have requested its return. The sculpture has also recently been displayed to the public after undergoing restoration for the first time.

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