what's the purpose of the statue of liberty
The Statue of Liberty is a figure of a robed woman representing Libertas , a Roman liberty goddess - also incorporating some elements reminiscent of another Roman deity , Sol Invictus . She holds a torch above her head with her right hand , and in her left hand carries a tabula ansata inscribed in Roman numerals with `` JULY IV MDCCLXXVI '' ( July 4 , 1776 ) , the date of the U.S. Declaration of Independence . A broken chain lies at her feet . The statue became an icon of freedom and of the United States , and was a welcoming sight to immigrants arriving from abroad .