In 1553, laborers were constructing fortifications near the Porta San Lorentino of Arezzo when they came upon an amazing discovery. In a trench along the old city wall, they found a scattering of small, ancient metal objects along with one of the most spectacular finds of ancient Italy: a bronze beast the size of a goat, snarling at them from the dirt.

Today, this so called Chimera of Arezzo is widely studied and considered one of the most important works of ancient Etruscan art. But what about when it was discovered? It’s fascinating to imagine what a 16th-century audience might have made of this ancient mythical beast pulled from the earth.