Etruscan Arringatore statue may have featured deliberate black finish

New scientific research suggests that the Arringatore (Orator) bronze statue, a celebrated Etruscan work from the second century BC, may have been intentionally blackened by its creators. Previously, scholars believed the sculpture’s dark appearance was solely the result of centuries of natural corrosion.

Researchers from the Institute of Applied Physics ‘Nello Carrara’ and the University of Siena analyzed samples from the statue, which is housed at the National Archaeological Museum of Florence. Using microscopic and spectroscopic techniques, including Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction, the team identified two distinct layers of copper oxides: a reddish layer of cuprite beneath a darker layer of tenorite.

The specific arrangement and distribution of these layers suggest the bronze underwent controlled oxidation, likely through a process involving heat. This finding indicates that the dark finish was a deliberate decorative choice rather than accidental decay. Additionally, X-ray analysis revealed the sculpture was assembled from eight hollow sections and likely originally featured glass-paste eyes.