The sphinx

myminifactory

The Volumni Monument Was First Studied by Luigi Busato Before 1888. He Proposed a Reconstruction Using Over 200 Fragments Found on Site. The Archaeologist Also Believed a Small Sphinx Belonged to the Monument, Although It Had a Feral Body and a Woman's Head. Busato Initially Placed the Sphinx on Top of the Monument in a Niche, But Later Analysis Revealed This Was Unlikely. A Careful Stylistic Examination Excluded the Sphinx from Being an Acroterial Element Due to Its Rough Surfaces and Simplified Features. The Restoration of the Volumni Monument Took Place in Florence Between 1983 and 1986. It Involved Disassembling the Structure, Cleaning Each Part, and Reassembling the Monument with New Integrations and Reconstructions. A Study on the Pediment Found That the Small Sphinx Was Not Originally Part of the Monument. The Problem of Placing a Limestone Slab Remained Unresolved After Restoration. It Was Initially Placed on the Surface of the Niche, Possibly to Cover a Hollow Base Containing Ossuaries of the Volumnii.