Vatican Museums

The statue of the so-called “Italic hunter”, identifiable as a depiction of Hercules, may be dated between the end of the sixth and the beginning of the fifth century B.C. He is covered with a deerskin, wears a high pointed headdress; in his left arm, close to the body, he holds a quiver and in the right, outstretched, he holds a bow, now lost. The small bronze work is one of the most important discoveries from the votive deposit found by chance at Valle Fuino, Cascia: indeed, a violent storm which occurred in the area on 30 June 1794 caused a landslide, revealing a votive deposit intended, it seems, for the worship of Hercules and extremely rich in material (at least 159 small bronzes, 168 coins in bronze, and 12 in silver, as well as vases, jewellery, tools, weapons, etc) dating from the pre-Roman phase (seventh century B.C.) to the period immediately before the Allied War (a coin from 89 B.C.).