Snake statues and a child priest: archaeologists unearth unique ancient offerings from a healing spring in Italy

Archaeologists have recently unearthed a hot spring in Italy that was used more than two millennia ago by those known as the Etruscans. It was a sacred place where they left their offerings.

Researchers have found "truly extraordinary" statues, namely those of snakes and a child priest, LiveScience writes.

The spring where the sculptures were found is located in San Casciano dei Bagni, a municipality located about 120 kilometers northwest of Rome. This place began to be used for votile offerings or offerings given in the hope of divine protection or intervention as early as the third century BC, experts from the Italian Ministry of Culture say.

Scientists say that this water body was used by those known as the Etruscans, who lived in Italy about 2,600 years ago. They were gradually conquered and assimilated by the Roman Republic as it expanded.

According to historians, even after the Romans seized full control of the area, the spring continued to be used for offerings, and some of the excavated remains bear inscriptions in Latin.

Archaeologists have been studying the spring since 2019 and previously reported finding two dozen stunning bronze statues and thousands of coins. The latest finds, discovered during excavations in 2024, include several bronze snake statues that were found in some of the deepest deposits of the spring.

The snake statues vary in size, with the largest measuring 90 centimeters long. The researchers speculate that they may have been installed in the spring to serve as protectors of the area.

The team of experts also found a number of other statues, including a naked male body cut in half, which contained an inscription in Latin stating that it was created by a man named Gaius Roscius and dedicated to the spring. The fact that it was cut in half could be related to the healing power of the spring, scholars suggest.

Another small statue, possibly a child's, depicts a priest who could perform divination. In his left hand he held a ball, which was probably used for divination rituals, the statement said. And on his right foot was an Etruscan inscription that has not yet been deciphered.

Other finds include a small bronze bull sculpture, an exquisite lamp, glass containers of ointment, and numerous coins dating back to the Roman Empire.

"They are truly extraordinary and among the most significant to be discovered in the 21st century. No other site has and continues to reveal such a diversity of high-quality bronze dedications that provide a fuller picture of the role that healing sanctuaries played in the lives of worshippers," said Alexandra Carpino, a professor of art history at Northern Arizona University who was not involved in the excavation.

The team of experts also discovered a large number of well-preserved organic remains, including those of thousands of eggs. In some cases, they are so well preserved that the yolk is still visible inside the eggs, which are not completely intact. They were probably laid during rituals related to rebirth and regeneration, the researchers suggest.

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