A small tufa sculptural fragment representing a bearded man.

This was found during the 2017 Season of the Cosa Excavations, which focused on the bath complex of the ancient Roman colony of Cosa.

Tufa is a porous limestone which was sometimes used for sculpture.

A marble figure of Bacchus or Dionysus.

From the Cosa antiquarium, Ansedonia, Italy.

Marble.

Roman, from the colony of Cosa.

This statuette is a faun in the pose of Marsyas, the follower of Dionysus who challenged Apollo to a music contest and, upon losing, was flayed alive for his hubris.

Here, the faun’s hands are bound behind his back. Because of the “in the round” nature of the sculpture, it was likely displayed in a space where viewers could move around it to take in the various details on every side. This piece is on display in the Cosa Museum, and was scanned as part of the Digital Cosa Project.

A marble fragment of a figure’s head, as can be identified by the hair and ear.

This fragment was found during the 2015 Dig Season of the Cosa Excavations.

The relative “finish” of the breaks on the front and sides of the fragment raise a number of questions: perhaps the original sculpture was pedimental, or in low relief? Perhaps it was purposely defaced (in this case, quite literally!).

Oil lamp from Cosa Excavations.

Clawed foot of a table leg.

A winged lion table leg from Cosa Excavations.

Winged lions were a common mythological subject in ancient and medieval art. The lower portion of the leg, likely ending in a clawed or a foot with talons, has been lost. The upper extents of the table leg have been lost. Likely some structural element, perhaps a column and capital, would have extended beyond the top of the wings and head to support the table-top.

 A winged lion table leg from Cosa Excavations.

Winged lions were a common mythological subject in ancient and medieval art. The lower portion of the leg, likely ending in a clawed or a foot with talons, has been lost. The upper extents of the table leg have been lost. Likely some structural element, perhaps a column and capital, would have extended beyond the top of the wings and head to support the table-top.

Marble table leg sculpted in the form of a winged horse. The lost “foot” was likely a hoof. The broken leaf on the chest of the horse was probably a decorative Acanthus leaf, which curls away and downwards. The main structure of the table leg is provided by a carved column.

The Cosa Excavations 2014 Fragments of a Herm table leg

Three fragments of a Herm table leg that have been digitally pieced back together. Notice the similar style of sculpting on the hair of each fragment, indicating that the pieces are indeed a match.

Amphora from the Cosa museum.

The foot kept the base of the amphora elevated for transport and when in storage. The heavy cylindrical neck indicates a Dressel 7 type amphora. Broad and flat handles, with an interior furrow, again are indicative of a Dressel 7 type. The mouth of the amphora has a thick external band.

The Cosa Excavations 2014

The Cosa Excavations 2014 Ancient Roman oil lamp

The body armor is in the form of idealized human musculature. The top of the chest shows a gorgon head, which was a popular image in Greek and Roman art. The navel shows how anatomically realistic features are incorporated into the muscle cuirass. The center depicts two winged victories flanking a candelabrum.

Spherical Sundial from Cosa Excavations.

The top shows a hole where the gnomon, likely a metal rod, would have been affixed. The curved surface would have received the shadow cast by the gnomon.