Account of the discovery as reported by Luigi Zaccheo (1985:43)

In one of his publications, Luigi Zaccheo — director of the Antiquarium of Sezze from 1969 to 1996 and honorary inspector of the National Board of Archaeology in the Province of Latina — offers a vivid account of the discovery, which, however, currently finds no further confirmation according to Flavio Altamura (2019).

The official report of the red colour anthropomorph to the Superintendency occurred only 3 years later on February 27, 1939, the same year the related study was published, through a letter from the president of the Italian Institute of Human Paleontology, Gian Alberto Blanc (1879-1965, father of Alberto Carlo), addressed to the Royal Superintendency for Antiquities of Lazio:

Comparison with male and female schematic anthropomorphic figures from the schematic rock art of the Iberian Peninsula, as presented by Blanc in his 1939 article

The red-ochre depiction at Arnalo dei Bufali, roughly measuring 28 × 22 cm, was tentatively attributed by Blanc to the Neo-Eneolithic period. Blanc’s suggested chronology primarily rests on strong stylistic affinities with analogous anthropomorphic figures, commonly referred to as "phi figures," which are prevalent in the schematic rock art imagery of the Iberian Peninsula. Nevertheless, Blanc (1939) highlighted the difficulty in assigning a definitive chronological framework to the painting due to the absence of comparable prehistoric rock art within the Italian Peninsula at the time of its discovery. He further noted that schematic art appears to have evolved gradually from Late Paleolithic semi-schematic traditions—exemplified by Azilian and Mesolithic cultures—before fully developing during the Neolithic and Eneolithic. Consequently, the dating of the Arnalo dei Bufali figure remains provisional and subject to revision pending further research and discovery. Despite these limitations, this painting holds the distinction of being the first officially recognized prehistoric rock art in Italy: 

Newspaper clippings featuring the discovery and depiction of the painting Il Popolo di Roma: March 28th, 1939 Giornale d'Italia: July 13th, 1940 (from Altamura et al. 2019).

The find was reported in major national newspapers of the time and it attracted immediate interest from several leading international scholars. Among those who visited the site shortly after the discovery were Henri Breuil (1877–1961), renowned French archaeologist often called the "Pope of Prehistory" because of he was also a French Catholic priest, Hugo Obermaier (1877–1946), a German-born priest and prehistorian that became a Spanish citizen and spent much of his career working on Iberian prehistoric archaeology, and finally Pei Wenzhong (1904–1982), Chinese paleoanthropologist and key figure in the study of early human fossils in Asia. Interestingly, Dr. Pei Wenzhong’s presence in Sezze was coincidental, as in 1936 he was in Paris pursuing a second degree and would return to China in 1937. These scholars conducted a joint field inspection with Blanc, confirming the painting’s authenticity and archaeological importance. Photographs from the Blanc-Aguet archive document this visit and the original context of the artwork, including Breuil conducting a graphic survey and Obermaier observing.

Fragment of rock wall with the anthropomorphic figure from Arnalo dei Bufali, preserved at the “Luigi Pigorini” National Prehistoric and Ethnographic Museum (photo from Latinatu.it)

Following its discovery, the portion of the rock surface bearing the “Uomo a Phi” painting (a Phi-shaped figure or stylized human form characterized by a body outline resembling the Greek letter Φ, or phi) was eventually removed and transferred to the Museo Nazionale Preistorico Etnografico “Luigi Pigorini” in Rome, where it remained on display until the late 1980s, when it was taken down due to potential damage caused by prolonged exposure to sunlight. Nearly forgotten, the artifact was later revived thanks to the educational project Camminare nella Storia, organized by Legambiente Sezze. Involving students from primary schools in Sezze and Latina, the project reawakened local interest in this significant prehistoric find. Guided by teachers and volunteers, students visited the Arnalo dei Bufali site and participated in classroom workshops on prehistory.

Fabrizio Paladinelli, president of the Legambiente Sezze chapter, next to the reproduction of the Arnalo dei Bufali rock painting (photo from ilcaffe.tv)

In a rare gesture, the Museum of Civilizations (formerly Pigorini) granted access to view the original artwork, normally kept in storage. This marked the beginning of a broader initiative to restore and preserve what had become a powerful symbol of local heritage. Although the original painting can no longer be exhibited due to its fragile condition, a 3D-printed replica was produced and is now publicly displayed. This community-driven effort, supported over the years by students, educators, volunteers, and municipal leaders—including the last three mayors of Sezze—demonstrates how inclusive and participatory processes can yield lasting cultural and social impact.