Locked in an eternal embrace
It is the city where the exiled Romeo dreamed he died and Juliet's kisses breathed life back into his body.
Tragically, the lifeless bodies of Shakespeare's star-crossed lovers would soon lie side by side.
Archaeologists revealed the discovery of a couple locked in a tender embrace, one that has endured for more than 5,000 years.
The find was unearthed by experts digging at a neolithic site at a less than romantic industrial estate. Scientists are to examine the skeletons to try to establish how old they were when they died and how long they have been buried.
One theory being examined is that the man was killed and the woman then sacrificed so that his soul would be accompanied in the after life.
Elena Menotti, who is leading the dig at Valdaro near Mantua in northern Italy, said: 'I am so excited about this discovery.
"We have never found a man and a woman embraced before and this is a unique find.
"We have found plenty of women embracing children but never a couple. Much less a couple hugging -- and they really are hugging. It's possible that the man died first and then the woman was killed in sacrifice to accompany his soul.
"From an initial examination they appear young as their teeth are not worn down but we have sent the remains to a laboratory to establish their age at the time of death.
"They are face to face and their arms and legs are entwined and they are really hugging.
"I am so thrilled at this find. I have been involved in lots of digs all over Italy but nothing has excited me as much as this."
"I've been doing this job for 25 years. I've done digs at Pompeii, all the famous sites.
"But I've never been so moved because this is the discovery of something special."
An initial examination of the couple - dubbed the Lovers of Valdaro - revealed that the man (on the left in the picture) has an arrow in his spinal column while the woman has an arrow head in her side.
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I believe this couple should be left 'untouched' forever... It seems irreverant to move them even ONE INCH!
where's my tissues?
no more tissues??
damn you Owen with your paper balls..auch!stop that!
sure thing junarc..but we have to do that in private.. :D will drag you in one corner...
huh? someone shouted at me.. *hijacker!!!!* *throws paper balls at him!*
[img_assist|nid=12867|link=none|align=left|width=|height=0]Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood.
dracula i'm totally clueless...i got rid of my runny nose few days back so i dont need them anymore :P
i better see that grinding dance tom owen.. :P
guess :)
another grinding dance in here (coz of junarc's confirmation)...
tissue? did someone...sheeet on this thread?..:P peace!
[img_assist|nid=12867|link=none|align=left|width=|height=0]Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood.
lol dracula..what's the tissue for? :P
hahaha owen, alrighty, expect my presence tom then :)
you want more goosebumps junarc?... come tomorrow to you know where.. :)
[img_assist|nid=12867|link=none|align=left|width=|height=0]Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood.
that's a very sweet discovery.. giving me goosebumps...
amazing!
they loved each other more than anythin..
can i change "wife" with "wine"?
same thing and i dont need to be archaeologist :P
an archaeologist is the best husband any woman could have. the older she gets, the more interested he becomes. :-)
thx again for usefull coments britex!
for sure they were young since they were so pasionate about each other. i also believe they shouldn't be moved.
Italians dubbed them the "Lovers of Valdaro" after the Mantova suburb of farmland and factories. But even their gender is a open question until scientists confirm the theory that they were a man and a woman.
Archaeologists seem certain the couple died young, since their teeth are intact and that they died during the Stone Age because of an arrowhead and tools found with the remains.
I think its a married couple and he is trying to throttle her !
even at death they are locked in embrace - how touching
life's too short so make the most of it, you only live but once.......
awwwww... i could have imagine during their last breath..
[img_assist|nid=12867|link=none|align=left|width=|height=0]Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood.