Straight from the Iron Age: 3,000-year-old clay figure discovered underwater in Italy. (Image: iStock)
In a strange development, an Iron Age figurine has been discovered at the bottom of a lake in Italy. It was found during ongoing work at the underwater archaeological site of Gran Carro di Bolsena in Aiola, Italy. The unfinished statue, which dates back to between the 10th and 9th centuries BC, looks more like a draft than a finished work of art. However, its incomplete state still provides insight into life in Iron Age Italy.
According to a statement translated by Italy’s Superintendence of Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape, the clay figurine is so fresh that it “still bears the marks of the fingerprints” of its creator. The figure was most likely covered with some kind of cloth years ago, as there is an imprint of a cloth weave under its chest.
According to experts, these pieces were often kept in the same place where the remains of the dead were stored. However, the place where the divers found this figurine was a residential area. The Italian cultural property restoration team worked with government divers to ensure that the figurine was safely removed from the waters.
Thanks to underwater excavations, the volcanic area of Gran Carro di Bolsena, known for its complex history, has begun to reveal its secrets. The historical importance of this site became evident in 1991, when researchers linked the shapeless stones of Aiola to the presence of thermal springs. Subsequent investigations have brought to light wooden posts and fragments of pottery on the south-west side of the lake, which also date back to the early Iron Age.
Meanwhile, in December last year, archaeologists discovered a luxury banqueting hall dating back to around the first or second century BC, featuring a sizeable, intact and brightly coloured wall mosaic, while excavating on the side of Rome’s Palatine Hill.
Archaeologists have discovered a luxurious home built in three phases between the second half of the 2nd century and the end of the 1st century BC in an area between Rome’s Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum. It is estimated to be around 2,300 years old and frozen in time 2,300 years ago. It is part of a larger aristocratic mansion, located near the Roman Forum, which has been under excavation since 2018.
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