A small white marble statue from the late Roman imperial period, dating from the 3rd to 4th century CE, was unearthed during excavations on private property in the municipality of Montaione, Florence, reported ANSA.
The statue, over 50 centimeters tall and headless, can be reassembled from three matching fragments. It represents Hercules, depicted standing in a moment of rest. The hero is shown with a club and the skin of the Nemean lion, iconic symbols of his legendary feats. At his feet lies the head of a bull, referring to the capture of the Cretan bull, which was Hercules' seventh labor, as noted by Adnkronos.
"It's a finding that excites us and makes us understand how archaeology always reserves new things for us: objects, information, and news. It is truly a discovery because the statuette is almost complete; it is three fitting pieces. It represents a Hercules, and there is the presence of a bull at his feet, and this is something not very frequent in representations of Hercules," said Superintendent of Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape for the Metropolitan City of Florence, Antonella Ranaldi, according to ANSA.
The discovery will be presented for the first time at tourismA - Salone dell'Archeologia e Turismo culturale, scheduled from February 21 to 23 in Florence. Currently, a team of experts is conducting a preliminary study on the statue of Hercules. The results suggest a dating between the mid and late imperial age (3rd-4th century CE), consistent with the period of maximum architectural and decorative development of the building being excavated.
Once restoration is completed, the statue, renamed Hercules of Valdelsa, will be temporarily exhibited in the premises of the University of Florence. After the exhibition, it will find a permanent home in the Civic Museum of Montaione, which houses numerous archaeological finds from the excavation.
The discovery was made by archaeologists from the cultural association Valdelsa Fiorentina and the Department of SAGAS of the University of Florence, together with students enrolled in the summer school. Foreign students from the Irlab Institute also assisted the archaeologists.
Stratigraphic investigations promoted since 2012 by the Municipality of Montaione have led to the recovery of other ceramic finds. Among the structures preserved in situ is a thermal annex decorated with marbles and floor and wall mosaics, reflecting the opulence of the period.
The article was written with the assistance of a news analysis system.