New finds in Paestum Archaeological Park in Italy

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In addition to seven bull heads, several miniature temples and altars, depictions of the Greek god of love Eros riding a dolphin have been found in the archaeological parks of Paestum and Velia in the Italian province of Salerno.

A statement from the Archaeological Park on Saturday evening said it was about “little masterpieces of craftsmanship”. The finds were made in a small temple that archaeologists discovered in 2019 and dated to the first decades of the 5th century BC.

Massimo Osanna, Director General of State Museums, said the discoveries “will shed a very interesting light on ancient religious life”. Thus, a kind of corrugated stone slab was excavated, in which, in addition to figures and other decorative elements, liquids such as the blood of animals sacrificed during religious rites could be collected – in front of the altar of the temple. The park’s manager, Tiziana D’ Angelo, explained.

Paestum was founded by the Greeks in 600 BC under the name of Poseidonia and later passed into the hands of the Romans. About 100 kilometers southeast of Naples, the ruins are part of the Unesco World Heritage Site and are famous for their well-preserved Greek-era temples. “The discovery of hundreds of offerings, statues and altars in the small temple of Paestum confirms the extraordinary value of this site,” said Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano.

(SDA)

Source : Blick