4. Room 3 - Italic Sanctuary of Fonte Sant'Ippolito

Audioguide by eArs 4. Room 3 - Italic Sanctuary of Fonte Sant'Ippolito This room opens the section dedicated to the Italic Sanctuary of Fonte Sant'Ippolito, a sacred site active between the 4th century BCE and the 1st century CE, dedicated to Hercules and a female deity, possibly Ceres. The sanctuary consisted of a small temple, an altar, and votive cippi—small stone columns with dedications to the gods. Connected pools collected and channeled water from a natural spring used for sacred rituals.A votive stipe—a pit where offerings brought by worshippers were deposited—was also discovered. Showcase 17 displays some objects related to the rituals: reproductions of human and animal body parts to ensure good health, and a pomegranate symbolizing good luck and prosperity. Showcase 18 features figures of cattle, depictions of female faces, and a married couple kissing.Showcase 19 contains terracotta lids, originally topped with figurines, used for ritual fumigations with incense. Particularly noteworthy is an antefix—a decorative element for temple roofs—depicting a goddess between two beasts, a motif widely spread in the Eastern world. Showcase 20 displays several bronze votive offerings representing Hercules.