Rome –
Excavations in southern Italy uncovered a terracotta bull’s head and a figurine of the Greek god Eros riding a dolphin, shedding new light on religious life and rituals in the ancient city, officials from the Ministry of Culture say. said on Saturday.
This is the first confirmed artifact treasury from the sanctuary of the ancient Greek city of Paestum, dating back to the 5th century BC. Paestum is famous for its three massive Doric columned temples, located near the ruins of Pompeii but far below the Almalfi River. coast.
The small temple was first identified along the walls of the ancient city in 2019, but excavations were halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Italian Ministry of Culture said in a statement.
The ministry said excavations uncovered several small terracotta figurines in the first months of resumption of work. Archaeologists have found seven bull heads around the altar of the temple. It is as if it was put on the ground in the form of faith.
The dolphin figurine found in the first find appears to belong to the Aviri family of potters, never before recorded in Paestum, the statement said.
This undated photo shows a terracotta bull head found in a newly discovered 5th century BC sanctuary. The sanctuary was first spotted along the walls of the ancient city of Paestum in southern Italy in 2019. (Paestum Veria Archaeological Park via AP)
Limited excavations began at the temple in the 1950s, and the ministry believes more treasures will be found in the area.
The ancient Romans took control of the city by about 275 BC and renamed the former Magna Graecia to Paestum, from the Greek “Poseidonia”.
