Lady with a Fish

The Maiden with a Fish, also known as St. Peter with a Fish, is a Celtic cult statue from the La Tène period, dated to 400–200 BC. The sculpture was discovered on the northern slope of Mount Ślęża by Gottfried Heinrich Burghart in 1733, and it is possible that it originally stood in the main cult site of the region. Carved from light granodiorite, the statue depicts a schematic male figure holding a large fish, which may symbolize the importance of fishing and fisheries in Celtic culture. It features an unusual body arrangement, with legs in contrapposto, indicating influences from Greek sculpture. The statue currently stands about 2.2 meters tall, though it may have originally measured up to 3 meters. Notably, a fragment of the sculpture bears engraved lines depicting folds of a garment and a cross symbol on the fish, suggesting later references to the Christianization of the area. The headless and one-armed figure, with a heavily eroded surface, serves as a fascinating testament to ancient artistic and religious traditions. The sculpture is housed in a covered shelter along a tourist trail, next to another statue depicting a bear, making the site a tourist attraction and an important point on the historical map of the region.