Dido at The Palace of Versailles, France

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Dido, known as Elissa in Greek legend, was said to be the founder of Carthage, daughter of King Mutto (or Belus) of Tyre and wife of Sychaeus (or Acerbas). When her husband was murdered by her brother Pygmalion, Dido escaped to Africa's coast where she bought land from a local leader, Iarbas. She founded Carthage on this land, which soon thrived, prompting Iarbas to ask for Dido's hand in marriage. To avoid marrying him, Dido built a funeral pyre and stabbed herself before her people. However, Virgil reimagined the story in his epic poem Aeneid, depicting Dido as a contemporary of Aeneas, whose descendants founded Rome. After falling in love with Aeneas upon his arrival in Africa, Dido was said to have taken her own life when he left her at Jupiter's command. Her dying curse on the Trojans is believed by many scholars to be the mythical origin of the Punic Wars between Rome and Carthage. Some modern experts identify Dido with Tanit, the tutelary goddess of Carthage, known as Virgo Caelestis. This object is part of "Scan The World", a non-profit initiative started by MyMiniFactory that aims to create a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures and artworks from all over the globe for free access. Scan The World is an open-source community project where anyone can contribute interesting items, email stw@myminifactory.com to learn how you can help.