LICATA, SICILY—According to a Gizmodo report, an artifact thought to be a Roman mask mold dated to between 133 and 31 B.C. has been unearthed in southwestern Sicily, in a building thought to have been used as a mask workshop at the site of Finziade. The city was founded by the Greeks in 282 B.C. and then conquered by the Romans. The mold shows a stern face surrounded by wild, thick strands of hair, and is thought to depict Medusa, who was one of three Gorgons in ancient Greek mythology. Anyone who looked at Medusa, and the snakes that replaced her hair, was turned to stone. She was beheaded by the hero Perseus, who wielded her head as a weapon to turn his enemies to stone. Medusa’s image was often used as a protective charm. Masks made with the mold may have been used as decorations, in rituals, or in theatrical productions. To read about another ancient depiction of Medusa, go to "Artifact: Head of Medusa."
