Garbage Man Helps Researchers Find Ancient Statues

A major discovery of ancient art in Italy will go on show this month in the capital, Rome. Researchers found the more than 2000-year-old Etruscan and Roman statues in the area of Tuscany.

Italy is opening the works to public view at the city's Quirinale Palace starting on June 22.

A retired¹ garbage man helped in the discovery of the statues, which lay in mud at the ruins of an ancient spa.

Italian scientists announced the find in November. Experts called it the biggest collection of ancient bronze statues ever found in Italy. Some said it was a major finding that would "rewrite history."

Researchers found the statues in 2021 and 2022 in the village of San Casciano dei Bagni. The village still has public baths in operation today. Researchers had long suspected ancient ruins could be discovered at the site.

The first few attempts to locate the ancient baths, however, were unsuccessful.

Then former garbage man and amateur² local historian³ Stefano Petrini had an idea. He remembered that years earlier he had seen bits of ancient Roman columns on a wall on the other side of the public baths.

When Petrini took researchers to the place, they knew they had found the right spot.

"It all started from there, from the columns," Petrini said.

Emanuele Mariotti is head of the San Casciano archaeological project. He said his team had been getting "quite desperate" for evidence when Petrini's information came through. They discovered a shrine⁴ at the center of the ancient spa complex.

The statues found there were offerings from Romans and Etruscans who looked to the gods for good health.

One of the most amazing finds was the so-called "scrawny boy," a statue about 90 centimeters high, of a young Roman with a bone disease. A small piece of writing has his name as "Marcius Grabillo."

Italian culture ministry⁵ archaeologist Ada Salvi said the muddy statue looked like the representation⁶ of an athlete. But, the expert saw it differently after the piece had been completely cleaned.

"...It was clear that it was that of a sick person," Salvi said.

More unusual offerings were also among smaller objects in the discovery. These include egg shells, pine cones⁷, medical tools and a 2,000-year-old piece of hair.

"There's a whole world of meaning that has to be understood and studied," Salvi said of the finds.

More Treasures

Workers permanently⁸ closed the spa about 1600 years ago. The warm mud of the baths protected the statues.

Digging will begin again in late June. Mariotti said more ancient objects are sure to be found in the coming years. The experts say they may find another six or 12 statues noted⁹ in a document found at the site. The archaeologists think that it may have been left by Marcius Grabillo.

"We've only just lifted the lid," Mariotti said.

After the Rome showing, the statues and other objects are expected to be given a home at a new site back in San Casciano.

Retiree Petrini hopes the treasures will bring "jobs, culture and knowledge" to his village, which is struggling with depopulation like much of rural Italy.

But he does not want to take credit for the discovery.

"Important things always happen thanks to several people, never thanks to only one," he said. "Never."

Words in This Story

spa – n. a place where people go to improve their health by swimming or bathing

column – n. a long post made of stone that is used as a support

archaeological – adj. relating to archaeology¹⁰, a science that deals with past human life and activities by studying the bones or tools of ancient people

desperate – adj. having little or no hope

scrawny – adj. very thin in a way that is not healthy

1 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

2 amateur   

adj.业余的，非专业的；n.业余爱好者

参考例句：

• He made an amateur attempt to build a cupboard.他很外行地试做了一个碗柜。
• Although Tom's only an amateur he's a first-class player.虽然汤姆只是个业余爱好者，但却是一流的高手。

3 historian   

n.历史学家，编史家

参考例句：

• As a historian,he was most typical of the times in which he lived.作为历史学家，他是他所处时代最有代表性的人物。
• He calls himself a historian,but his books are a mere journalism.他自称为历史学家，但是他的书都是些肤浅的通俗作品。

4 shrine   

n.圣地，神龛，庙；v.将...置于神龛内，把...奉为神圣

参考例句：

• The shrine was an object of pilgrimage.这处圣地是人们朝圣的目的地。
• They bowed down before the shrine.他们在神龛前鞠躬示敬。

5 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

6 representation   

n.表现某人（或某事物）的东西，图画，雕塑

参考例句：

• The painting is a representation of a storm at sea.这幅画描绘的是海上的暴风雨。
• All parties won representation in the national assembly.所有政党在国民大会中都赢得了代表资格。

7 cones   

n.（人眼）圆锥细胞；圆锥体( cone的名词复数 )；球果；圆锥形东西；（盛冰淇淋的）锥形蛋卷筒

参考例句：

• In the pines squirrels commonly chew off and drop entire cones. 松树上的松鼠通常咬掉和弄落整个球果。 来自辞典例句
• Many children would rather eat ice cream from cones than from dishes. 许多小孩喜欢吃蛋卷冰淇淋胜过盘装冰淇淋。 来自辞典例句

8 permanently   

adv.永恒地，永久地，固定不变地

参考例句：

• The accident left him permanently scarred.那次事故给他留下了永久的伤疤。
• The ship is now permanently moored on the Thames in London.该船现在永久地停泊在伦敦泰晤士河边。

9 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

10 archaeology   

n.考古学

参考例句：

• She teaches archaeology at the university.她在大学里教考古学。
• He displayed interest in archaeology.他对考古学有兴趣。