7000-Year-Old Clay Figurine Unearthed in Italy

Scientists from the Sapienza University of Rome have discovered an ancient statuette in the Battifratta Cave, located near Pozzo-Nativo in the Sabina region of Lazio, Italy. According to a report by Arkeonews, this clay figurine bears female facial features and belongs to the Neolithic period when the first agricultural communities existed on the peninsula. The age of the figurine is estimated to be around 7000 years.

The study of the statuette is being carried out as part of an interdisciplinary project coordinated by the Department of Ancient World Studies at the Sapienza University. The main objective of the project is to examine the "technological and stylistic aspects" of the figurine to gain a better understanding of its origin and creation.

Archaeologists note that the face of the figurine is depicted schematically, but the craftsman who created the artifact paid special attention to details of the hairstyle and body adornments. It is likely that this statuette was used for ceremonial or ritual purposes.

It is worth mentioning that similar artifacts are extremely rare in Italy and almost absent in the archaeological records of the Tyrrhenian slope.

The Battifratta Cave impresses with its labyrinthine appearance, where stalagmites and stalactites create a unique atmosphere. There is a spring near the cave entrance. The ongoing research in the Battifratta Cave is part of a larger project conducted by the Sapienza Great Excavations Fund, aimed at studying prehistoric settlements in the Farfa Valley and surrounding areas.

Recalling another archaeological discovery, during excavations in an ancient Roman bath in Spain, archaeologists found a marble statuette dating back approximately 1800 years, depicting a water nymph. This archaeological find was made at a site known as La Alcudia, located near the town of Elche in southeastern Spain.

The baths, where the excavations took place, date back to the 2nd century AD and were part of the ancient city of Ilici, one of the most important Roman cities in southeastern Spain. Archaeology enthusiasts highlight that the baths boast one of the largest preserved Roman pools in Spain. Additionally, the bath's floor is adorned with a rich mosaic, currently undergoing restoration. However, the statue was found in an intriguing and unusual place - amidst the remains of a later-phase garbage dump after the destruction of the baths.