“Unveiling the Past: Archaeologists Discover Ancient Medusa Mold that Could Rewrite Our Understanding of Roman Artistry!”
Wikimedia CommonsA statue of Perseus holding the head of Medusa.
Despite being widely regarded as a monster, symbolism related to Medusa in Greek and Roman culture did not necessarily carry negative connotations. While her visage could often be used to instill terror, it was also seen as a symbol of protection, her head appearing on armor, shields, coins, and various other artifacts used to ward off evil.
The presence of this mold in House 18, along with others, is representative of Roman Sicily during the Republican era as a melting pot of cultures, where Greek, Roman, and local influences intersected.
How The Culture Of Ancient Sicily Became A Blend Of Greek, Roman, And Local Influences
Archaeological and Landscape Park of the Valley of the TempleDetail of the right half of the mold.
“Of all foreign nations Sicily was the first who joined herself to the friendship and alliance of the Roman people,” the historian and philosopher Cicero once wrote.
“She was the first to be called a province; and the provinces are a great ornament to the empire. She was the first who taught our ancestors how glorious a thing it was to rule over foreign nations. She alone has displayed such good faith and such good will towards the Roman people, that the states of that island which have once come into our alliance have never revolted afterwards, but many of them, and those the most illustrious of them, have remained firm to our friendship for ever.”
Wikimedia CommonsA Greco-Roman theatre in Taormina, Sicily.
As the site Wonders of Sicily explains, Sicily was an important location where cultures of the ancient world converged as they never had before. As a colony of the ancient Greeks dating back to the eighth century B.C.E., the island was naturally heavily influenced by Greek culture.
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