The bronzes of San Casciano
Exceptionally well-preserved bronze statues from a sanctuary in San Casciano, Italy, provide insight into healing rituals and religious practices at the transition from Etruscan to Roman culture. They will be presented this summer as part of an exclusive special exhibition at the James Simon Gallery.
Image gallery
Luftaufnahme der Grabungsstelle, links die noch heute genutzte Badeanlage
Bronzeskulptur einer betenden Frau aus San Casciano
Bronzeskulptur eines Kranken aus San Casciano
In the fall of 2022, excavations in San Casciano dei Bagni, Tuscany, uncovered a large number of extremely well-preserved bronze statues in a pool directly adjacent to a still-active thermal spring.
It quickly became clear: a once-in-a-century find and an archaeological stroke of luck! Ancient bronze figures—especially in such large numbers—are extremely rare. The pool turned out to be the center of an Etruscan-Roman sanctuary. Here, the sick sought healing through the thermal waters, and anxious parents sought divine protection for their children.
The statues, as well as many smaller objects, were votive offerings from visitors to the powers worshipped there. Through ancient destruction and reconstruction, two historical phases can be clearly distinguished during the more than 500 years of use.
For the first time, we can study how a sanctuary functioned at the transition from Etruscan to Roman culture:
- Who were the deities?
- How did the local population interact with them?
- Which social classes visited the sanctuary?
- What were their intentions?
Etruscan and Roman inscriptions on the votive offerings provide information about the donors, the deities, and the occasion. How did this differ from votive practices in other healing sanctuaries?
Bronzes exhibited outside Italy for the first time
It can also be shown that many of the intentions are universally human and that the practice of votive offerings has a long-standing tradition. Even today, similar objects are donated in Catholic and Orthodox churches, albeit on a smaller scale and made of less valuable materials.
After three stops in Italy, the bronzes will be shown in Berlin for the first and only time outside of Italy. Spectacular new finds from the autumn 2024 excavation will also be on display for the first time, before all the pieces find their permanent home in the museum in San Casciano.
The exhibition will be accompanied by an extensive educational and outreach program with workshops and guided tours in the special exhibition room of the James Simon Gallery.
A special exhibition of the Antikensammlung (Collection of Antiquities) in the James Simon Gallery.
