3000-year-old Statue Found in Italy with Perfectly Preserved Human Footprints: This Mystery has Scientists Fascinated!
In the depths of Lake Bolsena, in the Lazio region of Italy, underwater archaeologists have found a clay figure that appears freshly molded. The statuette, with a feminine appearance and a small size, retains the fingerprints of the person who created it over 3,000 years ago.
The discovery was made at the submerged site of Gran Carro di Bolsena, an area that once housed a village built on stilts. What surprises experts the most is that the figure never underwent a firing process, which would normally have caused it to disintegrate over time.
Impossible preservation
Despite its fragility, the piece has survived thousands of years underwater, with visible marks including fingerprints and traces of fabric that could correspond to clothing. This phenomenon puzzles researchers, who are now trying to decipher the factors that have allowed for its preservation.
One hypothesis points to the volcanic nature of Lake Bolsena. Its waters contain minerals and thermal currents that reach 40°C, conditions that, in an unusual way, may have protected the figure instead of destroying it.
Clay figurines are usually associated with rituals, but this one was found in a residential area, opening up new interpretations. Due to its size, which fits in the palm of a hand, archaeologists believe it may have had a ritual or symbolic use within the home.
The discovery also confirms the cultural richness of the settlement of Bolsena, where for decades remains of ceramics, stone structures, wooden piles, and even Roman coins have been found.
A challenge for underwater archaeology
The Italian Ministry of Culture emphasizes that, despite its simplicity, this figure represents a unique window into the past. The preservation of an unfired piece for so many centuries raises new questions about preservation processes in archaeology.
The discovery, considered one of the most enigmatic in recent years in underwater archaeology, invites a rethink of how beliefs and rituals were transmitted in the communities that inhabited the Italian peninsula before Rome.
