Libisosa archaeologists reveal rare 5th-century BCE Iberian sculpture

Archaeologists at the Libisosa Archaeological Park in Lezuza, Albacete, have revealed details regarding an exceptional limestone anthropomorphic sculpture discovered during excavations. The piece, which dates back to the 5th or 4th century BCE, is a fragment of an Iberian sculpture that likely represented a young man, evidenced by its detailed hairstyle featuring braids and curls.

Originally part of an ancient funerary monument, the sculpture was later repurposed by Romans as a building stone for the northern wall of a large granary within the Roman forum. This reuse suggests the presence of an Iberian cemetery near the Roman structures, a theory supported by other architectural fragments found in the area.

In addition to the sculpture, researchers uncovered six more steps of a monumental staircase leading to the Roman forum. Excavations in the region are expected to continue through December 2026.