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The , derived from a single block of white limestone, which with one or perhaps three sculptures mirror “garrisoned” a monumental tomb was destroyed in ancient times, which stood along the old consular Aemilia. E ‘questa la extraordinary archaeological discovery made in recent days in Fossalta (Modena), about two meters deep from the floor during the enlargement of a building for the funeral Cofim owned by Gianni Gibellini.

Statues of this type are attested into the funeral of Roman, especially between the second half of the century. a.C. and the first decades of the century. D.C. However, the finding of this fifth lion (in Modena there are four, three and reused in the Cathedral quarter exhibited in Lapidary Estense) seems to confirm once again the fame of the city “splendidissima” tramandataci by Cicero.
The statue is in good condition. The animal was in a frontal position, with his head turned three-quarters, devoid of the side, even missing limbs and the rear right front paw. In return what remains is of extraordinary beauty. The mane is carved with high visibility plastic and natural, voluminous locks and a winding. On the side you can see clearly the ribs and stomach even the capillary veins. The tail, which lacks the panache, wraps the back of the beast, like that of contemporary lions, found in the Middle Ages, now guarding the door of the cathedral.

After imposing the ara of Vetilia Egloge, recovered in 2007 and now exhibited in the Roman Lapidary Civic Museums of Modena, Via Emilia gives us another important witness of the past. The shipyard where it was found is shown in a high archaeological potential in the PRG of Modena and be controlled from the outset by the Superintendence for Archaeological Heritage of the Emilia-Romagna. The excavation took place under the direction of scientific Superintendent Luigi Malnati and archeology Donato Labate and have been coordinated on the ground by Xabier Gonzalez Wall Company Pegaso Archeology.

This discovery occurred in the same area where, eight years ago, had been excavated a necropolis tardoantica, dating between the middle of the third and the end of the fourth century. D.C. The excavations recovered some debris from the oldest monuments, used to cover graves. One in particular, decorated with a sword hanging on a nail and semicoperto by a shield, indicate that both the tomb belonged to a graduated of the Roman army, or a prominent character. If all these fragments, as it seems, belong to the same funerary monument of which the lion just recovered, it could be groped a hypothesis of reconstructive artefact.

After the interventions of restoration, which will be handled by the Superintendence for Archaeological Heritage of the Emilia-Romagna, the Italian Ministry for Cultural Heritage will decide the destination of the statue.

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