Italy experts BLOCK Discover Italy

Bizarre giant Bronze Age statues could have been guardians over ancient graveyard

Reading now: 657
www.dailystar.co.uk

having been discovered near Cabras on the Italian island of Sardinia.The giants, known as Kolossoi, date back to the 11th and 8th centuries BC.

A recent excavation recovered 5,000 pieces including 22 torsos and 15 heads.When fully reconstructed the limestone statues stand at 2.5metres tall.

They also resemble similar giants discovered in 2014, known as "boxers" due to the shields that appear on their left arms.Italy's Minister of Culture Dario Franceschini described the discovery as "exceptional" with "no equal in the Mediterranean".He added: "Two new jewels are thus added to this statuary group with a mysterious charm, capable of attracting the attention of the whole world."Archaeologists are still working to fully excavate the massive artefacts.Monica Stochino, who participated in the dig, explained: "While the small and medium-sized fragments are brought to light daily, documented in situ on the ground and recovered, the two large and heavy blocks of the torsos will need time to be freed from the earth around them."The statues were constructed by the Nuragic people who lived on Sardinia from about the 18th century BC until Roman colonisation in 238 BC.The exact location of this latest discovery was Mont'e Prama, a necropolis or cemetery dating from the 9th century to the first half of the 8th century.It is thought that the statues were actually shattered in ancient times, with fragments then placed on or by tombs.

It isn't known where they were originally erected.Some experts reckon the pieces were used to mark out the sacred burial area.

Read more on dailystar.co.uk
The website celebsbar.com is an aggregator of news from open sources. The source is indicated at the beginning and at the end of the announcement. You can send a complaint on the news if you find it unreliable.

Related News

DMCA