Archaeologists in Italy unearth ancient dolphin statuette

Excavations in southern Italy have unearthed terracotta bull heads and a figurine of the Greek god Eros riding a dolphin.

The discoveries shine new light on the religious life and rituals of an ancient city, Italian culture ministry officials said.

It is the first trove of artefacts identified from a sanctuary in the ancient Greek city of Paestum, which dates from the fifth century BC.

Paestum, famed for its three massive Doric-columned temples, is near the archaeological site of Pompeii, but further down the Almalfi coast.

The small temple was first identified in 2019 along the ancient city walls, but excavations were halted due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Italian officials said.

Excavations yielded several small terracotta figurines in the first months of resuming work, the
ministry added.

Archaeologists found seven bull heads found around a temple altar as if placed there on the ground in a gesture of devotion.

A dolphin statuette found in the first trove of artefacts appears to be from the Avili family of ceramists whose presence had never before been documented in Paestum, the statement said.

Limited excavations began at the temples in the 1950s, and the ministry believes more treasures can be found in the area.

Ancient Romans controlled the city by around 275 BC, renaming it Paestum from the Greek “Poseidonia”, in what had before been Magna Graecia.