Italy praises 'outstanding' finding of ancient metal sculptures in Tuscany

In what experts describe as a remarkable find, archaeologists in Tuscany have discovered more than two dozen wonderfully preserved bronze statues going reverse into the old times in Rome.

The sculptures were discovered in San Casciano Dei Bagni, a hilltop village in the province of Siena approximately 160 kilometers (100 miles) north of Rome, where researchers have been excavating the muddy remnants of an old bathhouse since 2019.





According to Jacopo Tabolli, an assistant professor at the University for Foreigners in Siena who oversees the excavation, it is a highly remarkable, unusual discovery.

Massimo Osanna, a top cultural ministry official, dubbed it one of the most extraordinary finds in ancient Mediterranean history and the most significant since the Riace Bronzes, a massive pair of ancient Greek soldiers recovered from the water off the coast of Italy in 1972.

Tabolli stated that the sculptures portraying Hygieia, Apollo, and other Greco-Roman deities used to adorn a sanctuary before being submerged in hot waters in the form of ceremonial, most likely during the 1st century AD. He spoke about the rituals people do in believing that the water may return something to them.

The majority of the statues date from the 2nd century BC to the 1st century AD, a time of enormous change in ancient Tuscany as it transitioned from Etruscan to Roman authority, according to a statement from the Culture Ministry.

FAQs

Who is an archaeologist?
Archaeologists investigate previous human activity by excavating, dating, and interpreting historical artifacts and locations.

Where is Tuscany?
Tuscany is a central Italian region.