Intentional destruction of statues is a particular form of their use. The recent defacement, removal from pedestals, and destruction of numerous statues worldwide as part of the Black Lives Matter protests serve as a reminder of how profoundly symbolic such actions can be.

In almost every museum collection, deliberate alteration of statues is evident. However, the interpretation of this phenomenon, particularly in terms of its symbolic implications, has largely been reliant on textual sources. Archaeology, and specifically the physical and chemical study of ancient materials, could play a more significant role in deepening our understanding of this practice.

This poster presents a state-of-the-art review of this issue from an archaeological perspective. It compiles the most significant studies on the subject and proposes potential avenues for further exploration.