“Throwback” at the Antiquarium Turritano: 21 years ago the discovery of the Satyr

On the day of the "Throwback" the national archaeological museum Antiquarium Turritano of Porto Torres, directed by Stefano Giuliani, recovered the exciting discovery of the satyr's mask from the archive. Probably the most important and spectacular find exhibited inside the museum.

The discovery dates back to February 2003, twenty-one years ago, when it initially appeared as a "stone" and then in all its beauty, during excavations near the archaeological area of the Maetzke Baths, dating back to the 1st century AD, although the The interpretation is still debated. The hypothesis is that it could be a satyr, but recently the hypothesis has been put forward that the mask represents Marsyas, a Silenus or the god of the Marsyas river from which it takes its name. It depicts, however, a male figure, a bearded character with pointed ears, wrinkles on the forehead, raised eyebrows and a large nose, a smooth beard and hair in locks. The mouth has a hole for water circulation. According to Greek mythology, he had a body that was partly human and partly that of a goat or equid.

These beings lived in the woods and mountains, surrounded by wild nature and it is precisely this beastly appearance that is extracted from the marble with the grotesque face surrounded by a thick beard.