What is Riace bronzes?
{{italictitle}} [[File:Reggio calabria museo nazionale bronzi di riace.jpg|thumb|Riace bronzes]] The '''''Bronzi di Riace''''' ({{lang-en|Riace bronzes}}), sometimes ''Riace Warriors'', (460–430 BCE) are two large monumental [[Ancient Greece|Greek]] [[bronze]] sculptures. The statues are of nude [[beard]]ed [[warrior]]s. It is possible the statues depict two individuals. It is more likely that they represent ''types''. Rich Romans were collectors of Greek sculpture. It is probable the two warriors were being transported from their original site in Greece to one in Rome. Since the two warriors share so many similarities, they probably formed part of one Greek monument.<ref name=hou116>Houser, p. 116</ref> The bronzes were found in the [[Ionian Sea]] on 16 August 1972 by Stefano Mariottini. He was on a [[scuba diving]] vacation near [[Reggio Calabria]], [[Italy]].<ref name=hou116/> The sculptures were found not far from shore at [[Riace Marina]], a village near [[Porto Foricchio]]. The area was on an important shipping lane between the ports of Rome and the coastal cities of Greece. The bronzes may have been in an [[ancient history|ancient]] shipwreck. They were either ripped from their moorings or thrown overboard to lighten the load.<ref name=hou116/> The [[eyes]] are made of [[bone]] and [[glass]]. The [[teeth]] are made of [[silver]]. The [[lip]]s and [[nipple]]s are made of [[copper]]. The warriors once held [[spear]]s and [[shield]]s. One warrior once wore a [[helmet]] pushed up atop his [[head]]. The bronzes are in the [[Museo Nazionale della Magna Grecia]] in [[Reggio Calabria]]. == Notes == {{reflist}} == References == * {{citation |last=Houser |first=Caroline |year=1983 |title=Greek Monumental Bronze Sculpture |publisher=Vendome Press |isbn=0-86565-037-3}} == Other websites == {{Commons-inline|Riace bronzes}} [[Category:Ancient Greek bronze sculptures]] {{Ancient Greece: Arts and Culture}} [[Category:Ancient Greek statues]] [[Category:5th-century BC works]] [[Category:Reggio Calabria]] [[Catego