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Lüttinger Knabe

Der Lüttinger Knabe
Foto: © museum.de

Beschreibung

The Lüttinger Boy is a remarkable bronze statue, created about 2,000 years ago, and considered one of the most significant Roman artifacts north of the Alps. In February 1858, six salmon fishermen from Lüttingen and Bislich made an astonishing discovery. Not in water, but in the dried up riverbed of the Rhine, they stumbled upon the 1.44 meter tall bronze statue of a boy. Although its left forearm was missing, the statue was otherwise in very good condition. The fishermen took the "Lüttinger Boy" to Lüttingen and showed solid business acumen by outfitting and displaying him with a loincloth. Viewing the statue cost the visitor 10 pennies, while lifting the loincloth cost twice as much. However, they soon had their business ruined, and the antique statue was confiscated. Nevertheless, the fishermen are said to have received a finder's fee of 4,000 thalers, which they invested in new houses. The "Lüttinger Boy" was taken to Berlin and displayed in the Pergamon Museum. Later, he traveled to Moscow and East Berlin before he finally found his place in the Bacchus Hall of the New Museum in Berlin. Copies of this fascinating statue can be found in the LVR-RömerMuseum in Xanten and the LVR-LandesMuseum Bonn. A bronze cast version of the "Lüttinger Boy" also stands in the market square in Lüttingen.