Archaeologists excavating a sacred spring in Italy have uncovered a trove of ancient artifacts, including bronze snake statues and inscribed statues dedicated to the spring.
Archaeologists in Italy have dug deeper into a hot spring that was used, over two millennia ago, by a people known as the Etruscans as a sacred place to leave their votive offerings . Located at San Casciano dei Bagni, a municipality located about 75 miles (120 kilometers) northwest of Rome, the spring started being used for votive offerings , or offerings given in hopes of divine protection or intervention, as early as the third century B.C.
, according to a translated statement from the Italian Ministry of Culture. The people who used it were known as the Etruscans, who thrived in Italy from around 2,600 years ago. The Etruscans were gradually conquered and assimilated by the Roman Republic as it expanded. Even after the Romans took full control of the area, the spring kept being used for offerings and some of the excavated remains have inscriptions written in Latin. A few even praise the Roman emperor, calling him a divine person. Archaeologists have been excavating the spring since 2019, and previously reported finding two-dozen stunning bronze sculptures and thousands of coins. The latest finds discovered during the 2024 excavation at the spring include several bronze snake statues that were found in some of the springs' deepest deposits. The snake statues vary in size, with the largest measuring 35 inches (90 centimeters) long. These snake statues may have been placed in the spring to act like protectors of the area, the statement said. Image 1 of 2The team also found a number of other statues, including a nude male body found cut in half. It contains an inscription written in Latin that says the statue is from a man named'Gaius Roscius' who dedicates it to the spring. The fact that it was cut in half may have been related to the supposed healing powers of the spring, the statement said
Etruscans Archaeology Italy Ancient Artifacts Votive Offerings
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