Posted on 08/01/2004 1:00:25 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
A number of Italian statues, fountains and archaeological sites have been under attack from vandals and professional thieves recently, obliging authorities to take extra measures to protect them. The wave began last month in Venice, when a 38-year-old man with a history of psychological problems was caught three days into a rampage in which he took a hammer to five of the citys historical sites. Coverage of the event has spurred copycat instances, mostly in Rome. Last week the 360-year-old Fontana delle Api (Fountain of Bees), commissioned by Pope Urban VIII and created by Gianlorenzo Bernini, was attacked by vandals who smashed away bees that decorate the sculpture. In the area surrounding the Piazza del Popolo, someone chipped away hands, faces, feet and arms from a number of statues, including one ancient work. In extreme cases, thieves have even used circular saws to behead Roman statuessome more than 2,000-years-old. In this latter case, experts suspect the thieves were working to order, possibly for private collectors. Authorities have begun assigning extra security at certain sites and are working to install webcams in places considered possible targets.
(Excerpt) Read more at archaeologyodyssey.org ...
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Vandals....? Yeah, right. The Islamonazis just issued a warning to Italy to get their troops out of Iraq.
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