In 2022, archaeologists in Italy discovered 24 perfectly preserved bronze statues while excavating hot springs in San Casciano de Bagni. This is a small town in the Tuscan hills outside Sienna.
These statues were buried by mud for over two millennia in this site, which used to be a sacred place for both Etruscans and Romans.
Besides the statues, archaeologists found about 6,000 gold, silver, and bronze coins beneath the baths. These artifacts were dated between 200 B.C. and A.D. 1, marking a significant period when the powers shifted from the Etruscan civilization to the Roman one.
The significance of the Etruscan and Roman statues
Historians say that wealthy families commissioned bronze statues in the area to be dedicated to various local and Greco-Roman gods. They include a statue of Hygieia, the god of health, and Apollo, the god of sun and light.
Jacopo Tabolli, an assistant professor at the University for Foreigners in Siena who led the excavation at the site, believes the sculptures would be immersed in hot springs or offered to the gods to bring medical cures and good luck to the people. It was also thought the waters were good for the liver, facial pain, fertility, and improved overall health,
Tabolli says the discovery was “without equal… the largest deposit of bronze statues of the Etruscan and Roman age ever discovered in Italy and one of the most significant in the whole Mediterranean.”
Amazingly, the well-preserved statues had Etruscan and Latin inscriptions, telling stories of those who visited the baths. The baths — which began with the Etruscans — became more opulent and grew in status during the Roman era after emperors like Augustus visited the site.
The hot springs were closed in the first century AD after lightning struck. People interpreted this as a bad omen or message from the gods, and the site was sealed. More than 2000 years later, archaeologists found the statues perfectly preserved because the mud had covered them, creating the perfect conditions for preservation.
Rewriting the history of Romans and Etruscans
Not much is known about the origins of the Etruscan civilization that predated the Romans in much of Italy. However, these statues may help historians learn more about the Etruscans and their relationship with the Romans.
The Roman expansion came between the 2nd and 1st centuries B.C., marking the end of the previous civilization. Interestingly, although there was war during this era, the Latin and Etruscan inscriptions on the figurines show that Etruscan and Roman families held rituals together in this sacred sanctuary of hot springs.
“While social and civil wars were being fought outside the sanctuary … inside the sanctuary, the great elite Etruscan and Roman families prayed together in a context of peace surrounded by conflict,” Tabolli told The National News.
Historians know that Romans borrowed several cultural and artistic traditions from the Etruscans. These traditions include gladiatorial combat, engineering, metalworking techniques, religious rituals, and garments like the famous Roman toga. That said, the found sculptures offer us a closer glimpse at the relationship between the two civilizations.
“This possibility to rewrite the relationship and dialectic between the Etruscan and Romans is an exceptional opportunity,” Tabolli adds.
‘The Gods Return’
In July 2023 — a year after the find — the statues were displayed in an exhibition at the Quirinal Palace in Rome. The exhibition, entitled “Gli Dei Ritornano” (“The Gods Return”), was meant to show the history of the artifacts and the people who lived in the area.
The Italian Ministry of Culture said a new museum is under construction at Siena to house the antiquities for public viewing. The statues add another layer to Italy’s rich history, and as research continues, they may offer a glimpse into the artistic and cultural achievements of the Etruscan civilization.
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