2000-year-old Greek statue of goddess found in garbage dump
A marble statue of an ancient goddess was found in a garbage dump in Greece (Illustrative photo: freepik.com)
A marble statue of a woman, which is likely from the Hellenistic period, was found in a trash heap in Thessaloniki, Greece. Archaeologists who examined the statue believe it could be very ancient, with an estimated age of at least 2,000 years.
Washington Post. reports on this discovery and shares insights from scientists.
A 33-year-old resident of Thessaloniki, Greece, found a statue near a trash heap in the Neoi Epivates area. The statue, which was 83 centimeters long but missing its head and arms, was inside a large black bag.
The man immediately notified the police, and the statue was taken for further examination. Archaeologists have noted that the statue likely belongs to the Hellenistic period, which lasted from 323 BC to 31 BC, a time between the death of Alexander the Great and the rise of Augustus in Rome.
The loosely draped clothing suggests that the statue may represent a goddess. Ordinary women of that period were typically depicted in tightly wrapped cloaks, and their statues were usually made of terracotta.
The discovered statue is made of marble. Of course, if it had its head and arms, identifying the goddess would have been much easier.
"The fact that it is marble suggests that it was probably dedicated in a temple. Because of the size — around 30 inches — it would not be the main statue in the sanctuary, but it might be a gift that someone has given to the god either to thank them for something or in the hopes of getting some kind of grant," explained Estelle Strazdins, a classical studies expert at the Australian National University in Canberra.
The statue of the ancient goddess was found in a trash heap (photo: astynomia)
He added that determining the statue's identity is difficult due to the absence of a head. For example, Athena, the goddess of war, often had a helmet and held a spear and shield, while Hera, the goddess of fertility, was depicted with a pomegranate.
According to the police, finding ancient artifacts is not unusual in Greece, home to some of the world's oldest civilizations. Currently, law enforcement from the cultural heritage and illegal trade departments has begun an investigation to determine how this statue ended up in the trash. It may be linked to the illegal trade of ancient artifacts.
The statue will be sent to a laboratory for further examination and will later be sent to the antiquities service for assessment and preservation.
