TERRACOTTAS FROM THE TEMPLES OF FALERII

Female deity from the pediment of the Scasato I temple (4th cent. B.C.)

Between 1886 and 1887, excavations in the area called Scasato, at the highest point of the Civita Castellana plateau (ancient Falerii Veteres), about 60 km north of Rome, brought to light many fragments of architectural terracotta and some remains connected to buildings that occupied the area between the 4th and 3rd centuries BC. These included temple buildings, a portico, and an open-air basin carved into the rock for purification rituals.
Among the temples, the one known as Scasato I is the largest and best-known of the complex. Today no visible structures remain. However, many architectural terracotta decorations that once covered the roof are preserved: elements shaped by hand or made using moulds and originally painted in bright colours.
In the same area, a second temple, known as Scasato II, was discovered in 1924. It dates to the beginning of the 4th century BC and has a plan with three cellae (inner sacred rooms), probably dedicated to Jupiter, Juno and Minerva.

Busto of Apollo from the pediment of the Scasato I temple (4th cent. B.C.)

It is a high-relief terracotta sculpture, modelled by hand and painted, discovered around 1888. Only the upper part of the figure survives and has been reconstructed from several fragments: the torso, shoulders and head remain, while the lower part of the body and parts of the arms are lost. The figure, about two-thirds life size, was shown seated with the face turned to the right.
Apollo appears calm and idealised: high forehead, straight nose, full lips and eyes that still preserve traces of the original colours. The body and face were painted dark red, according to an artistic convention reserved for male figures. The hair, painted in dark tones, falls in large wavy locks around the face.

The bust of Apollo shows the direct influence of major Greek sculpture of the 4th century BC, especially the models of Lysippos, Skopas and Praxiteles. Through the hairstyle, the turning of the head and the upward gaze, the image of the god recalls the so-called Alexander–Helios type by Lysippos, a famous portrait in which Alexander the Great is represented as the Sun god.

Statue of Juno from the Scasato II Temple (early 4th cent. B.C.)

From Temple Scasato II also comes a statue of Juno, originally placed inside one of the cellae as a cult image.
Unlike the architectural decorations on the outside, this statue represented the direct connection between worshippers and the goddess. Made of painted terracotta, it is carefully finished also on the back, showing that the work was designed to be seen from different viewpoints.
One particularly interesting element is the floral diadem, made separately and removable: during special celebrations or festivals, it could be replaced with one made of fresh flowers or precious metal.

At Falerii, Juno had a central role in the religious life of the community. She was protector of women, marriage, family and especially of the city of Falerii itself. Ancient authors describe important celebrations in her honour. Among the Etruscans, the goddess was known as Uni, wife of Tinia (Jupiter in Roman tradition).

antefix with the head of Silenus from the Temple of Vignale (5th cent. B.C.)

Serial production did not reduce the quality of modelling or the variety of images represented. The excavations also unusually brought to light some moulds, allowing a better understanding of the production process.
Among the discovered moulds, one belongs to an antefix with the head of Silenus, recognisable by the mature and strongly characterised face: wrinkled forehead, flattened nose, marked moustache and long beard formed by spiral locks.
Another mould belongs to Juno Sospita, identifiable thanks to the characteristic headdress made from goat skin with large curved horns, one of the attributes associated with the goddess. The face, with regular and solemn features, is framed by long locks on the sides, emphasising the frontal view and the expressive power of the figure.