Overview
- The left tusk of the marble elephant in Piazza della Minerva was found snapped off near the base, with authorities alerted Monday night.
- Investigators recovered an 11-centimeter fragment by the statue and determined it was a replacement added in 1977 rather than an original element.
- Italian police are examining security footage to establish whether the break was caused by vandalism or by recent heavy rainfall weakening the piece.
- Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli denounced the damage as deliberate, though officials have not announced any findings or arrests.
- The same tusk tip was broken during a 2016 vandalism incident and later reattached, highlighting recurring conservation challenges for the monument near the Pantheon.