Status: 08/11/2022 5:37 PM
Italian archaeologists have made an amazing discovery in the mud of hot springs in Tuscany: they discovered more than 20 bronze statues in excellent condition. Gold, silver and bronze coins were also revealed.
Archaeologists have made an astonishing discovery in Tuscany, Italy: researchers have unearthed more than 20 excellently preserved bronze statues from the Etruscan and Roman periods in the mud of thermal springs.
Carvings excavated in the ancient spa town of San Casciano dei Bagni represent deities worshiped in a sanctuary built by the Etruscans in a thermal spring and expanded by the ancient Romans, according to Rome’s Ministry of Culture.
A “unique” discovery
In addition to bronze statues over 2,000 years old in near-perfect condition, numerous offerings and about 5,000 gold, silver, and bronze coins were unearthed during the three-year excavation.
Project Director Jacopo Taboli spoke of a “unique” discovery. It provides new insights into the time of bronze’s origin between the second century BC and the first century AD. During this period, the ancient Etruscan civilization was gradually assimilated by the Roman culture.
Well-preserved artwork with thermal water
According to Taboli, this is the largest discovery of bronze statues from the Etruscan and Roman periods in what is now Italy and one of the most important in the entire Mediterranean region.
The artworks have been so well preserved in the warm thermal waters that Etruscan and Latin inscriptions can still be read, including the names of influential Etruscan families. The bronze pieces will now become the focus of a separate museum.
