The Underwater Archaeology Service recovered an unfinished, palm-sized clay figurine from Gran Carro di Bolsena (Aiola), dating to the 10th–9th centuries BC. The female statuette still bears the maker’s fingerprints and a fabric imprint beneath the chest, suggesting it may once have been clothed. Found in a former residential sector of a stilt-house settlement, the piece may reflect domestic or household ritual use. The site’s thermal springs and later Constantinian finds point to long-term occupation.
Divers Recover 3,000-Year-Old Unfinished Clay Figurine From Lake Bolsena — Maker’s Fingerprints Still Visible
Dec 11
Clay Figurine Pulled From Cryptic Underwater TownAlessandro Licata - Getty Images
Divers working at the underwater archaeological site of Gran Carro di Bolsena, off the Aiola outcrop in central Italy, have recovered a palm-sized clay figurine that dates to the Early Iron Age (10th–9th centuries BC). The rudimentary female statuette appears unfinished and still preserves the maker’s fingerprints and an imprint of fabric beneath the chest.
Discovery and Conservation
The Underwater Archaeology Service discovered the figurine in an area interpreted as the former residential sector of a stilt-house settlement. The delicate recovery and initial conservation were carried out by the Italian Cultural Property Restoration team working with government divers, who brought the fragile object to the surface and into a controlled conservation process.
What the Figurine Reveals
Although similar small female figurines are often associated with funerary contexts, this example was found in a domestic area and may reflect everyday or household ritual practices. The preserved fingerprints offer a rare, direct tactile connection to the craftsperson, while the textile impression under the chest suggests the figure may once have been clothed or otherwise adorned.
Site Context: Gran Carro di Bolsena and Aiola
Gran Carro di Bolsena occupies a volcanic, thermally active area where hot springs emit gas and mineral-rich waters—sometimes reaching temperatures near 40°C. Archaeological attention to Aiola increased after 1991, when researchers linked the mound of shapeless stones on the outcrop to thermal springs and identified wooden piles and ceramic fragments dating to the Early Iron Age.
Work in 2020 uncovered a buried mound beneath the stones in the same sector, supporting the interpretation that Aiola hosted stilt houses during the Early Iron Age and formed part of a broader lakeside settlement. Additional finds, including coins and pottery from the Constantinian period, indicate the site continued to be used into the later Roman era.
Significance
Though modest and crudely modeled, the newly recovered figurine is an important tactile link to everyday life at a lakeshore settlement some 3,000 years ago. Conservators and archaeologists hope the fingerprints and textile impression will provide new insights into ceramic production, clothing or adornment practices, and domestic ritual activities in Iron Age Italy.
Credit: Italy’s Underwater Archaeology Service and the Italian Cultural Property Restoration team.
