Roman Statues Found in Blue Grotto Cave

[JGolomb]

Interesting find...some highlights and photo from the story below:

 

Roman Statues Found in Blue Grotto Cave

A number of ancient Roman statues might lie beneath the turquoise waters of the Blue Grotto on the island of Capri in southern Italy, according to an underwater survey of the sea cave.

 

Dating to the 1st century A.D., the cave was used as a swimming pool by the Emperor Tiberius (42 B.C. - 37 A.D.), and the statues are probably depictions of sea gods.

 

Carried out in collaboration with the archaeological superintendency of Pompeii, the Marevivo project aims at returning the Blue Grotto to its ancient glory by placing identical copies of Tiberius' statues where they originally stood.

 

In 1964, archaeologists recovered three statues from the sea bottom. One sculpture depicts the sea good Neptune, while the other two statues each represented the Greek god Triton, who was the son of Poseidon (Neptune, for the Romans).

 

The recovered sculptures confirmed an account by Roman scholar Pliny the Elder (23 A.D. - 79 A.D.), who described the sea cave as populated by a Triton "playing on a shell."

 

Now on display at a museum in Anacapri, the three statues have provided a glimpse of the original setting of the Blue Grotto.

 

During the Marevivo survey, aimed at finding the original bases of the three statues, divers found a total of seven bases at a depth of 150 meters (492 feet). This suggests that at least four other statues lie on the cave's sandy bottom.

 

"The sculptures were all placed at the same level. It is likely that other statues will come to light as the project continues with new underwater investigations," diver Vasco Fronzoni told Discovery News.

 

Here's a picture from the story, but it's a strange perspective due to being a video screen capture, or perhaps shot through water.

Dating to the 1st century A.D., Italy's Blue Grotto cave was used as a swimming pool by the Emperor Tiberius (42 B.C. - 37 A.D.), and newly found statues there are depictions of sea gods. This statue is the Greek god Triton, who was the son of Poseidon (Neptune, for the Romans), god of the sea

[sylla]

Interesting find...some highlights and photo from the story below:

 

Roman Statues Found in Blue Grotto Cave

A number of ancient Roman statues might lie beneath the turquoise waters of the Blue Grotto on the island of Capri in southern Italy, according to an underwater survey of the sea cave.

 

Dating to the 1st century A.D., the cave was used as a swimming pool by the Emperor Tiberius (42 B.C. - 37 A.D.), and the statues are probably depictions of sea gods.

 

Carried out in collaboration with the archaeological superintendency of Pompeii, the Marevivo project aims at returning the Blue Grotto to its ancient glory by placing identical copies of Tiberius' statues where they originally stood.

 

In 1964, archaeologists recovered three statues from the sea bottom. One sculpture depicts the sea good Neptune, while the other two statues each represented the Greek god Triton, who was the son of Poseidon (Neptune, for the Romans).

 

The recovered sculptures confirmed an account by Roman scholar Pliny the Elder (23 A.D. - 79 A.D.), who described the sea cave as populated by a Triton "playing on a shell."

 

Now on display at a museum in Anacapri, the three statues have provided a glimpse of the original setting of the Blue Grotto.

 

During the Marevivo survey, aimed at finding the original bases of the three statues, divers found a total of seven bases at a depth of 150 meters (492 feet). This suggests that at least four other statues lie on the cave's sandy bottom.

 

"The sculptures were all placed at the same level. It is likely that other statues will come to light as the project continues with new underwater investigations," diver Vasco Fronzoni told Discovery News.

 

Here's a picture from the story, but it's a strange perspective due to being a video screen capture, or perhaps shot through water.

Dating to the 1st century A.D., Italy's Blue Grotto cave was used as a swimming pool by the Emperor Tiberius (42 B.C. - 37 A.D.), and newly found statues there are depictions of sea gods. This statue is the Greek god Triton, who was the son of Poseidon (Neptune, for the Romans), god of the sea

You know, for the bitter depressed psychotic misanthrope he supposedly was, good ol

Edited September 28, 2009 by sylla

[caesar novus]

Now on display at a museum in Anacapri, the three statues have provided a glimpse of the original setting of the Blue Grotto.

 

During the Marevivo survey, aimed at finding the original bases of the three statues, divers found a total of seven bases at a depth of 150 meters (492 feet). This suggests that at least four other statues lie on the cave's sandy bottom.

What museum? Do they mean in the original collection of Villa San Michele. Only other museum there I can think of is the church with those weird pictorial tiles, or the little museum in the other town (Capri). And is that depth for real? Way past diving limits, and I question if the cave would be that bright if the reflective (sand/limestone) floor was so darn far down.

 

You know, for the bitter depressed psychotic misanthrope he supposedly was, good ol

[sylla]

But I wonder why Octavian put Tiberius so high in the succession list, even after he had proven to be irresponsible about his duties such as fleeing to Crete (or was it Rhodes?). He seemed to lose respect for Tiberius, so why not groom at least another alternative like that stepson or whoever that got assasinated in an island retreat after the death of Octavian? Octavian had groomed a range of alternates earlier, but didn't seem to replace them as the died.

Please note that Tiberius showed from the very beginning notable administrative and military abilities, especially evident from his brilliant performance in Dalmacia and Germania, which were both actually extremely difficult tasks.

 

Additionally, Tiberius was not at the top but actually at the very bottom of Augustus

[Melvadius]

I think that the operative term in the original report is that divers have found 7 statue 'bases - not statues.

 

Three statues were recovered from the grotto in 1964 and apparently are in the Casa Rossa Museum, but it was only open in the summer between May 12th and September 13th this year so its no use rushing off to Capri to try and see the statues at present. The image definately looks like it was taken inside a building rather than in the grotto which is a natural cavern

 

The 400 odd feet 'depth' sounds more like the height of the cliff above the Blue Grotto rather than a diving depth but I may be wrong never having gotten into the grotto itself during my previous short visits to Capri. [EDIT - most websites I checked refering to diving in the Blue Grotto are quote the diving depth as anything up to a maximum of about 30 metres (100 feet) so the 150 meters (492 feet) quoted in the article is a major increase (five times as deep) and personally I would like to know the explanation for this difference].

 

All in all it seems like the Discovery Channel have again managed to blow up a story out of not very much. When and if the divers get back into the grotto and carry out a systematic search and excavation of the cave bottom is when this story will probably equal the current interest.

Edited September 29, 2009 by Melvadius

[JGolomb]

I think that the operative term in the original report is that divers have found 7 statue 'bases - not statues.

 

Three statues were recovered from the grotto in 1964 and apparently are in the Casa Rossa Museum, but it was only open in the summer between May 12th and September 13th this year so its no use rushing off to Capri to try and see the statues at present. The image definately looks like it was taken inside a building rather than in the grotto which is a natural cavern

 

The 400 odd feet 'depth' sounds more like the height of the cliff above the Blue Grotto rather than a diving depth but I may be wrong never having gotten into the grotto itself during my previous short visits to Capri. [EDIT - most websites I checked refering to diving in the Blue Grotto are quote the diving depth as anything up to a maximum of about 30 metres (100 feet) so the 150 meters (492 feet) quoted in the article is a major increase (five times as deep) and personally I would like to know the explanation for this difference].

 

All in all it seems like the Discovery Channel have again managed to blow up a story out of not very much. When and if the divers get back into the grotto and carry out a systematic search and excavation of the cave bottom is when this story will probably equal the current interest.

Mel - Glad you caught and highlighted the "bases" comment. I had to reread the article and headline a couple of times before that clicked. As of my posting time yesterday, I couldn't find any other news around this discovery, but I'll poke around today to see if there are any unique stories around this (as opposed to wires picking up this same story).

 

Maybe this story's release had more to do with tourism than any interesting discoveries:

Carried out in collaboration with the archaeological superintendency of Pompeii, the Marevivo project aims at returning the Blue Grotto to its ancient glory by placing identical copies of Tiberius' statues where they originally stood.

 

"By next summer, tourists to the Grotta Azzurra will enjoy a really unique experience," Giugni said.