Skeletons locked in an eternal embrace

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At Mantua, archaeologists discovered two skeletons locked in a tender embrace, one that has endured for more than 5,000 years.

It was found in a neolithic site at a less than romantic industrial estate by the experts. After specific examination it was proved that the man was killed and the woman then sacrificed herself so that his soul would be accompanied in the after life. The initial examination states that they appear young, as their teeth are not worn down.

Elena Menotti, who is leading the dig at Valdaro near Mantua in northern Italy, said: 'I am so excited about this discovery.

"We have never found a man and a woman embraced before and this is a unique find.

"We have found plenty of women embracing children but never a couple. Much less a couple hugging -- and they really are hugging. It's possible that the man died first and then the woman was killed in sacrifice to accompany his soul.

"They are face to face and their arms and legs are entwined and they are really hugging.

"I am so thrilled at this find. I have been involved in lots of digs all over Italy but nothing has excited me as much as this."

"I've been doing this job for 25 years. I've done digs at Pompeii, all the famous sites.

"But I've never been so moved because this is the discovery of something special."

An initial examination of the couple - dubbed the Lovers of Valdaro - revealed that the man has an arrow in his spinal column while the woman has an arrowhead in her side.

Five thousand years ago the area around Mantua was marshland and criss-crossed by rivers and the environment has helped preserve the skeletons in their near perfect state.