Statue of the "Sleeping Cupid" from the Second Century Found in Pula, Croatia (Photos Included)

[Wisdom_Seeker]

Dear Zevists, I bring you some amazing news from Croatia. It is about the discovery of the marble statue of Cupid, the God of Love, Passion and Attraction. The translated information here is taken from the following local web-page: https://www.portalanalitika.me/clan...ana-skulptura-iz-drugog-vijeka-usnuli-kupidon

A masterpiece of ancient art, the marble sculpture "Sleeping Cupid" from the second century, was found on a private plot in the very centre of Pula as part of archaeological research, which was highlighted today at a press conference at the Archaeological Museum of Pula.

It is about an exceptional archaeological find discovered in Castropola Street in Pula, which was presented to the public for the first time at the conference, as well as the circumstances of its discovery and the importance for the ancient heritage of the city, according to Index.hr.

The Perfection of Ancient Sculpting

The sculpture was found on the private plot of the company "Kaštel Center" between Cvečić and Glavinić ascent, on a plot of land of 1200 square meters, and in a luxurious room that, according to the first estimates of experts, belonged to a wealthy Roman household.

Measuring 98 by 44 by 30 centimetres, the work was found in two sections, yet it is described by archaeologists as the "perfection of ancient sculpture", with the sculpture depicting Cupid lying on a lion's skin, with a small lizard beside him.

"The work has yet to be cleaned and restored, but it is already awe-inspiring because of its remarkable craftsmanship and preservation. This is a remarkable find, testifying to the wealth and culture of ancient Pula. Who commissioned this luxurious work of art and who owned the luxurious room in which it was found is not yet known, but it is certain that with this discovery Pula has reaffirmed its status as the archaeological treasure of the Mediterranean", said the director of the Archaeological Museum of Istria, Darko Komšo, adding that the sculpture is now undergoing laser cleaning and will then be part of the museum's permanent exhibition.

A Finding Discoverable Once in a Lifetime

Stating that this was an extraordinary discovery, Aleksandra Paić, who found the statue, said that it was a "once-in-a-lifetime find" and that the sculpture had been found in a home.

"A large area of the ancient domus has been investigated, as we now know, i.e. two objects located in the space between Cvečić and Glavinić. In the room where it was found there was a huge amount of marble material", Paić said.

Silvana Petešić, head of the antiquities collection of the Archaeological Museum of Istria, said that the domus was lavishly furnished, and the sculpture itself was made of white marble, whose origin cannot yet be determined.

"It's about a boy named Erot. Otherwise, eroticism has a deeper history in ancient Greece, in the seventh century it appears in love poetry, but only as a concept, and its anthropomorphic forms only later. He was initially depicted as a very handsome, winged youth of harmonious body proportions. Our Erot lies on a lion's skin, and his head rests on a lion's head, which is very meticulously made", Petešić explained.

She added that such sculptures are not so rare and are plentiful in Europe, especially in Italy. As for dating, she noted, it is safe to say that Cupid is from another age. It was found about three meters from the walkway and after the completion of archaeological research, it is cleaned and presented.

Incidentally, the plot where the sculpture was found is being developed into a boutique hotel.