On the trail of Hercules? A new perspective about a controversial bas-relief

Abstract

A stone element, decorated with a bas-relief, identified in Citânia de Briteiros (Guimarães, Portugal) in the 18th century is the central subject of this study. The representation of two human figures in this piece gave it some prominence, with its interpretation diverging between those who consider its sexual nature, and those who see it as a representation of a fight or a work scene. Less evidently, the chronological attribution of this out-of-context find is also controversial, between its inclusion in Roman sculpture, or among the artistic features of the local Iron Age.

A more detailed observation of the piece and the search for iconographic parallels, gave way to the interpretation presented here, that is partially in line with some previous proposals that consider it generically as a roman sculpture. However, we propose the herculean theme of the depicted scene, analysing the possible context underneath the use of this classical iconography.