The Maiden with a Fish

The Maiden with a Fish is a Celtic cult statue from before the turn of the era, one of the oldest sculptural monuments in Silesia. It stands below the summit of Mount Ślęża, by the hiking trail, in a roofed shelter together with a second sculpture.

What the sculpture depicts

The statue depicts a man holding a large fish, about 1.4 metres long, with both hands against his chest. Today it measures about 2.2 metres, although it originally reached no less than about 3 metres.

Age and material

The sculpture was made of light-coloured biotite granodiorite, known as Strzeblów granite, in the La Tène period, between about 400 and 200 BC.

State of preservation

The statue is missing its head, neck, right arm and a large part of the legs, and its surface is heavily eroded. Despite the damage, a high level of craftsmanship is visible, with influences reaching as far as Greek art.

Discovery and Christianisation

The sculpture was discovered in 1733 by Gottfried Heinrich Burghart among rock debris on the northern slope of Mount Ślęża. A cross was also carved onto the statue, probably in 1209, after this area had been Christianised.

Nearby

The sculpture stands right by the trail to Mount Ślęża, within the Mount Ślęża Nature Reserve. Nearby stands a sculpture of similar cult character, the Bear Statue on Ślęża.

Practical information

• Location: the slope of Mount Ślęża, Sobótka municipality, Wrocław County, at an altitude of about 495 m above sea level
• Access by the hiking trail leading to the summit of Mount Ślęża
• Free admission; the sculpture stands in a roofed shelter together with a second statue