“Unveiled After Centuries: The Tiny 1,700-Year-Old Hercules Statue That Rewrites History”
Despite being one of the major feats of Hercules, however, depictions of him capturing the Cretan Bull are somewhat rare in the art world, particularly in statues. More well known depictions of Hercules in art are often similar to the famous Farnese Hercules statue, which shows the hero leaning on his club with the skin of the Nemean lion draped over it — the slaying of which was the first task of The Twelve Labors.
Wikimedia CommonsThe Farnese Hercules.
The fact that this new statue features the head of the Cretan Bull is itself rather unique and showcases an often overlooked element of the legend.
Future Plans For The Hercules Of Valdelsa
SAGAS Unifi/FacebookStudents from the University of Florence at the site where the statue was found.
“It’s a discovery that excites us and reminds us how archaeology constantly surprises us with new objects and insights,” said Antonella Ranaldi, Superintendent of Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape for the Metropolitan City of Florence, per the Greek City Times. “The statuette is nearly complete, made of three fitting pieces, and the bull at Hercules’ feet is an unusual and fascinating detail.”
The discovery was made during the most recent excavations carried out as part of a summer school program organized by the Sagas Department of the University of Florence. Students and professor Elisabetta Neri found the statue at the site of an ancient Roman villa, then brought the pieces back to the university for restoration work, which was carried out by Maura Masini.
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