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This Roman-era fountain in the shape of a Gorgon’s head is one of the many treasures found in the ancient city of Hippone, located near modern-day Bône, Algeria. Hippone began as a Phoenician trading post in the 11th century B.C. and rose to become one of the most prosperous cities of pre-Roman Africa. It was eventually annexed to Rome and later became a center of African Christianity and the episcopal seat of Augustine (392–430 A.D.).

The Gorgons were three sisters from Greek mythology known for their extraordinary ugliness; they had serpents for hair and scales on their necks. The most famous was Medusa, who is said to have had the power to turn anyone who gazed at her into stone, although this didn’t save her from being killed by Perseus, who snuck up on her while she slept and used the reflection of her in his shield to guide his sword. He later used her head to kill the sea monster Cetus. Medusa’s sisters, Stheno and Euryale, were immortal.