"Lovers of Valdaro" - two human skeletons that were found in 2007 in a Neolithic burial in Italy. Apparently, these two died, looking into each other's eyes and squeezing each other in a love embrace.
For 6,000 years, they lay in eternal embrace, hidden from prying eyes. Despite the fact that the skeletons are 6,000 years old, "Lovers of Valdaro" became famous only 10 years ago when their buried remains were discovered near Mantua, in northern Lombardy.
Carrying out excavations in the city of Valdaro, a team of archaeologists led by Elena Maria Menotti discovered a double burial: a young man and a girl no more than 20 years old, lying opposite each other - before death, their arms were entwined in an embrace.
Skeletons of two lovers from Valdarro
No less surprising is the fact that double burials from the Neolithic times are extremely rare, and such "hugs" are, in general, a unique phenomenon. Finding "lovers" was accompanied by a violent reaction from the public, especially considering the fact that they were found before Valentine's Day.
So how did they die?
Promotional video:
Scientists have not been able to find the cause of death of this couple, but in the mass media and social networks they decided that they still symbolize Romeo and Juliet, who, as you know, committed suicide in order not to become separated.
The theory is supported by the fact that Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet story begins close to Verona, and that Romeo was exiled to Mantua, where he learned that Juliet was dead. Another sad story of two lovers from the opera "Rigoletto" by Giuseppo Verdi was also staged in Mantua.
Romeo and Juliet, Henry-Pierre Pico
However, subsequent studies did not reveal any signs that the "lovers" committed suicide. Elena Maria Menotti, head of the excavation, stated:
“We have never found the remains of a man and a woman in an embrace, this is a truly unique find. We have met many women hugging children, but we have not seen such couples, especially in hugs - they really hug each other. It is possible that the man died first, and the woman was killed later to escort his soul to the afterlife. Initial analysis of the skeletons shows that they are young, as their teeth are still in good condition, however, we sent the remains to a laboratory for careful examination in order to accurately determine their age at the time of death. Their arms and legs are intertwined, they really hug."
The archaeological value of this find can hardly be overestimated
Aside from romantic interpretations, these remains are one of the most significant finds from the Neolithic era, as the excitedly excited Menotti did not forget to mention:
“I am just thrilled by this find. I had to participate in many excavations, but I have never seen anything like it in my entire career. And I have been doing this for 25 years. I excavated in Pompeii, including all the popular sites and attractions. But nothing struck me as deeply and deeply as these two."
Photo of the "lovers" skulls - it looks like they are still looking into each other's eyes
Despite the fact that this is not the only burial of two or more people, double burials during this period are extremely rare, and the position in which the "lovers" are located makes the find even more unique. After the initial examination, the experts were able to determine that the man and woman were not only young, but also had extremely short stature (especially a man) - both he and she were 158 cm tall.
The experts also found that the man had an arrow in his back, and the woman had an arrow in the side of the head. Researchers also suggest that 5,000 years ago, the area around Mantua was covered with swamps and crossed by rivers, and the conditions for preserving the remains were almost ideal.
Their mystery may remain unsolved, but the "lovers" still found a new home
Scientists may never be able to find the cause of their death, but today many tourists travel to Spain to look at the oldest and perhaps the most romantic couple.
The ordinary public was able to take a look at the remains of "Lovers of Valdaro" live only in 2011 at the entrance to the Archaeological Museum of Mantua. However, the nickname “Lovers from Mantua” took root rather quickly and people advocated that “lovers” should be allocated a separate place in the museum - and now everyone can see “Lovers from Valdaro” in this museum, where they were placed for permanent storage under high-strength glass.