mɪnˈɜːvə wʌzðə ɹˈoʊmən ɡˈɑːdəs ʌv bˈoʊθ kˈɑːmɜːs ænd wˈiːvɪŋ, mˌeɪkɪŋ hɜːɹ ɐpɹˈoʊpɹɪət tə ðɪs sˈaɪt ɪn ɐ sˈɪɾi wɪð ɐ stɹˈɔŋ hˈɛɹɪɾɪdʒ ʌv tˈɛkstaɪlz, ænd wˈɛɹz ɐn ˈaʊl mˈæsk, wˈʌn ʌvðə sˈɪmbəlz ʌvðə sˈɪɾi.
Minerva was the Roman goddess of both commerce and weaving, making her appropriate to this site in a city with a strong heritage of textiles, and wears an owl mask, one of the symbols of the city.