If you are fascinated by ancient history and remarkable discoveries, the story of the Dama de Elche (Lady of Elche) is one worth knowing.
Found purely by chance in the summer of 1897, this famous sculpture has become a powerful symbol of Iberian culture and a treasured piece of Spanish heritage.
The Lady was discovered on 4 August 1897 by an 18-year-old named Manuel Campello, who was working in the fields of La Alcudia, just outside Elche on the Costa Blanca. While digging, he struck a stone and unearthed what turned out to be a beautifully crafted stone bust.
A sculpture preserved
It had been carefully hidden, protected by slabs of rock, and buried with sand from La Marina beach, which helped preserve some of the original colour on the sculpture. The level of care taken to hide the piece suggests that whoever buried it wanted to keep it safe.
La Alcudia, the site of the discovery, was once an important Iberian settlement known as Ilici. Later, it became a Roman colony called Iulia Ilici Augusta. Today, it’s an archaeological park where visitors can see the remains of both Iberian and Roman life, including where the Lady of Elche was found.
Not long after its discovery, a French archaeologist named Pierre Paris came to Elche for the Mystery Plays and saw the sculpture. He was so taken by it that he arranged to buy it for France. The Lady was sold for 4,000 francs and sent to the Louvre in Paris, where she stayed for over 40 years. It was during this time that the sculpture was given the name we use today.
The Lady of Elche returns
In 1941, during the Second World War, the Lady of Elche returned to Spain as part of a diplomatic exchange. Alongside other important artworks and treasures, she crossed the border by train and was taken to Madrid, first to the Prado Museum and later to the National Archaeological Museum, where she remains today.
The Lady has only returned to her hometown of Elche a few times. In 1965, she came for an exhibition about Iberian culture. Then in 2006, she spent almost six months in the city for the opening of the MAHE (Elche’s Museum of Archaeology and History). For that visit, she was insured for €15 million, a sign of how much she is now valued.
Although the sculpture is not in Elche permanently, the site of her discovery, La Alcudia, is open to visitors.
