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SAN CASCIANO DEI BAGNI, ITALY - 17 JUNE 2023: (L-R) Emanuele Mariotti (center), Director of the excavation site, and Ludovico Salerno, a volunteer for the local archaeological association, pose for a portrait by the site in San Casciano dei Bagni, Tuscany, Italy, on June 17th 2023.

Over 200 bronze statues in perfect condition, ex voto, ceramics, but also 6000 gold, silver and bronze coins were discovered during an excavation at the Etruscan-Roman sanctuary connected to the ancient sacred basin of the thermo-mineral spring of the Bagno Grande in San Casciano dei Bagni, in the province of Siena, Italy.

The excavation, which began in 2019 under the coordination of Prof. Jacopo Tabolli, has rewritten the history of ancient bronze statuary in the region. These findings make the Tuscan site the largest deposit of bronze statues from the Etruscan and Roman ages ever discovered in Italy, making it a significant archaeological site in the Mediterranean. The statues depict venerated deities and their associated anatomical parts, indicating their connection to the therapeutic properties of the thermal waters. The statues' exceptional preservation within the hot spring water has also allowed for the preservation of inscriptions in Etruscan and Latin, providing valuable insights into powerful Etruscan families and the region's historical context.


The sanctuary experienced restoration and expansion, and during its peak in the 2nd century AD, altars dedicated to Apollo, Fortuna Primigenia, Isis, Hygeia, and Aesculapius were present. Christianization in the 5th century AD led to the dismantling of the sanctuary.

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2023-06-16_NYT-Bronzes
SAN CASCIANO DEI BAGNI, ITALY - 17 JUNE 2023: (L-R) Emanuele Mariotti (center), Director of the excavation site, and Ludovico Salerno, a volunteer for the local archaeological association, pose for a portrait by the site in San Casciano dei Bagni, Tuscany, Italy, on June 17th 2023.<br /> <br /> Over 200 bronze statues in perfect condition, ex voto, ceramics, but also 6000 gold, silver and bronze coins were discovered during an excavation at the Etruscan-Roman sanctuary connected to the ancient sacred basin of the thermo-mineral spring of the Bagno Grande in San Casciano dei Bagni, in the province of Siena, Italy.<br /> <br /> The excavation, which began in 2019 under the coordination of Prof. Jacopo Tabolli, has rewritten the history of ancient bronze statuary in the region. These findings make the Tuscan site the largest deposit of bronze statues from the Etruscan and Roman ages ever discovered in Italy, making it a significant archaeological site in the Mediterranean. The statues depict venerated deities and their associated anatomical parts, indicating their connection to the therapeutic properties of the thermal waters. The statues' exceptional preservation within the hot spring water has also allowed for the preservation of inscriptions in Etruscan and Latin, providing valuable insights into powerful Etruscan families and the region's historical context.<br /> <br /> <br /> The sanctuary experienced restoration and expansion, and during its peak in the 2nd century AD, altars dedicated to Apollo, Fortuna Primigenia, Isis, Hygeia, and Aesculapius were present. Christianization in the 5th century AD led to the dismantling of the sanctuary.