Description:
Initiative of the Croation Ministry of Culture in cooperation with the Archaeological Museum Zadar, the project involved: raising of an antique bronze statue of an athlete from the Adriatic Sea 2nd or 1st c. Greek copy of a 4th century original) from a depth of 45m in the Adriatic Sea, systematic submarine archaeological investigation of the finding site, long-lasting conservation-restoration of the statue including desalination, research and analyses, documentation and final presentation in an exhibition. Successful collaboration with institutions and experts from Italy, Belgium, UK, Germany, Austria and USA was established , especially with the Italian institute Opificio delle Pietre Dure of Florence. The project resulted in the determination of the context of its origins and production, the technique and quality of the production as well as stylistic characteristics to applied in comparative studies of familiar statuary.