Terracotta statue of a young woman at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

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This is an Etruscan, carved in the late 4th early 3rd cenutry B.C., terracotta statue of a young woman. The legendary king Aeneas, father of the Latin race, fled from Troy to Macedonia, then Siciliy, and finally to the Italian peninsula. There he founded a city called Lavinium (modern Pratica di Mare), a site eighteen miles south of Rome, which became a major religious centre for the Latin people. The distinctive clothing and jewellery on this life-sized statue closely resemble those on fourth and third century B.C. terracottas found there. The elaborate necklaces and armband appear to be reproduced from molds of actual jewellery. Some of the pendants are decorated with reliefs depicting various Etruscan deities and heroes. Originally, this woman wear a pair of grape-cluster earrings. The one on her left ear is visible behind her long hair. When complete, the statue probably took in a sanctuary and showed the young woman holding an incense box in her extended right hand. This rare statue is an exceptional example of the awakening sophistication of Italic artists, who over the following two centuries fused native traditions with imported ones and gave birth to the multifaceted art of Late Republican Rome.   This object is part of "Scan The World". Scan the World is a non-profit initiative introduced by MyMiniFactory, through which we are creating a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks and landmarks from across the globe for the public to access for free. Scan the World is an open source, community effort, if you have interesting items around you and would like to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to find out how you can help.