'History-making' ancient bronze statues discovered in Italy

A group of 24 ancient bronze statues were unearthed during excavations in the Italian spa town of San Casciano dei Bagni, experts announced on Tuesday. Scientists called it a sensation: 'The discovery will make history,' the archaeologist in charge of the excavations, Jacopo Tabolli, said on Tuesday. Italian Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano spoke of a 'treasure.' The statues in the site in the Tuscany region were protected for two millennia by the mud and hot water of the thermal baths. Some of them are almost 1 metre high. They are said to date from the period between the 2nd century BC and the 1st century AD, which was marked by Etruscan and Roman influences. In addition to the statues, about 5,000 coins of gold, silver and bronze were found. Experts made comparisons with the famous Riace Bronzes, one of the most important discoveries in archaeology. The two statues from the 5th century BC were discovered in the sea off the coast of Calabria in 1972. They are among the few surviving life-size bronze statues from ancient Greece.