Rare Greek Sculpture Discovered in Ancient Etruscan City of Vulci!
Archaeologists excavating the ancient Etruscan city of Vulci, in central Italy, have uncovered a remarkable find that is reshaping ideas about cultural connections in the ancient Mediterranean. A marble head from a Greek statue, dating back more than 2,500 years, has been unearthed near one of the city’s monumental temples. Discoveries of large-scale Greek sculpture outside Greece are exceptionally rare, making this one of the most important archaeological finds in Etruria in recent decades.
Photo Credit: Ministero della Cultura
The sculpture represents a kore, a type of statue depicting a young woman that was common in ancient Greece. Detailed stylistic analysis suggests the piece was produced by an Attic workshop and dates to the early 5th century BCE. Comparable examples are known from the Athenian Acropolis, which makes the presence of such a work in Vulci highly unusual. The head features an intricate hairstyle, a finely carved diadem, and even traces of original paint, offering rare insight into the use of colour on ancient marble sculptures.
Equally significant is where the head was found. It was discovered close to a temple that forms part of a group of Etrusco-Italic peripteral temples, structures heavily influenced by Greek architectural traditions. Among them is the famous Tempio Grande, and together these buildings once created a vast sacred complex that dominated Vulci’s urban landscape. The discovery of a high-quality Greek sculpture in this setting suggests that the city was not simply importing Greek goods such as painted pottery, but was also engaging directly with Greek artists or commissioning prestigious works for elite or religious use.
Photo Credit: Ministero della Cultura
Researchers believe the statue may have been brought to Vulci during the construction or decoration of the nearby temple, at a time when interaction between Greek and Etruscan societies was particularly intense. This period saw widespread economic growth and artistic innovation across the Mediterranean, and the kore provides tangible evidence that these connections extended beyond trade into monumental art and religious spaces.
The marble head is currently undergoing careful restoration and scientific analysis at the Central Institute for Restoration in Rome. Specialists are examining its stone, pigments, and carving techniques to learn more about how and where it was made.
Excavations at Vulci are set to continue for years to come. Archaeologists hope to build a clearer picture of the city’s development from the Late Bronze Age through the Roman period, with this discovery offering a striking reminder of how interconnected the ancient world truly was.