Researchers excavating the ancient Etruscan city of Kainua, near Marzabotto in northern Italy, have uncovered human remains inside a ritual well, along with two bronze statuettes and a rare bronze plate that have survived in striking condition.
The discovery was made in a sacred area dedicated to the goddess Uni and marks the end of the 39th excavation season led by the University of Bologna.
Elisabetta Govi, a professor at the university’s Department of History, Cultures and Civilizations who directs the dig, said the bronze statuettes and plate still carry the original shine of the metal.
She explained the objects were placed at the bottom of the well as votive offerings during a founding ceremony held between the late sixth and early fifth century B.C., around the time Kainua itself was established. Volunteers from the Ravenna Archaeological Group assisted with the dig.
Bronze statuettes offered during the well’s founding ceremony
Govi said the two adult skeletons found in the well point to a separate ritual, one performed to close the structure and bring its use to an end. Together, the findings suggest the well served more than a practical role in supplying water.
Human remains and rare bronze artifacts were found inside an Etruscan well at Kainua, revealing new details about ancient founding rituals. pic.twitter.com/I4w9wqCAyb
— Tom Marvolo Riddle (@tom_riddle2025) August 6, 2026
Researchers say it also held deep religious meaning tied to the founding of the city and to the worship of water itself. The well sits within a larger sacred zone at Kainua that includes two large temples.
Etruscan inscriptions link the temples to Tinia and Uni, the chief god and goddess of the Etruscan pantheon, comparable to Zeus and Hera in Greek mythology. The same area also shows evidence of worship of Vei, a goddess associated with agricultural and human fertility.
Human remains from the Etruscan well head to museum display
Govi said the ritual well fits naturally into this broader religious setting and adds new detail to what scholars understand about how Etruscan cities were founded and how their religious practices worked.
The find will eventually be displayed at MNEMA, the National Etruscan Museum of Marzabotto, which reopened to the public in June with a redesigned layout. The museum presents itself as an active research space rather than a static historical collection.
Organizers say new artifacts from Kainua will go on display once scientific analysis is complete, letting visitors follow the research as it happens.
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