Friday, July 31, 2026

Tanit-faced incense-burner excavated in Iberia?

PUNIC WATCH: The Face of Tanit, the Goddess of Life and Death, Returns to Alicante After 2,200 Years. The incense burner found intact in the Iberian necropolis, linked to a warrior elite, in La Albufereta embodies the great Punic protector of fields, stars, navigation, and the beyond (Adrián Mazón, TodoAlicante).
For over 2,200 years, she remained surrounded by the weapons of warriors. Falcatas, spears, knives, shields, and long javelins accompanied a small female head beneath the earth of La Albufereta, which has now once again seen the light of day.

According to initial investigations, exclusively reported by TodoAlicante, that face belonged to Tanit, the great Punic deity who protected fertility, harvests, and those embarking on their final journey.

The extraordinary incense burner was found in perfect condition during the excavation of a new Iberian necropolis located on a private plot in Alicante, as reported by this newspaper. The cemetery, dated to the last third of the 3rd century BC, consists of four tombs and two ritual areas where an exceptional collection of funerary objects has been recovered.

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For the Punic (and Phoenician?) goddess Tanit (Tannit), the "Snake Lady," see here and links (cf. here, here, and here). Cross-file under Archaeology.

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