Bulgarian archaeologists unearth marble statue of Greek god

·

Bulgarian archaeologists made an unexpected discovery this week while excavating an ancient Roman sewer: a well-preserved marble statue of the Greek god Hermes.

According to ntd.com, the 6.8-foot-tall statue was unearthed at the site of the ancient city of Heraclea Sintica in southwestern Bulgaria, near the Greek border. Archaeologists believe that the statue was carefully placed in the sewers and covered with soil following an earthquake that devastated the city around A.D. 388, which explains its excellent condition.

Heraclea Sintica was founded by Philip II of Macedon between 356 B.C. and 339 B.C. in what is now the Bulgarian region of Pirin Macedonia. Despite the adoption of Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire, the residents of Heraclea Sintica likely attempted to preserve the statue.

“Its head is preserved. (It’s in a) very good condition. There are a few fractures on the hands,” said Lyudmil Vagalinski, who led the team of archaeologists, adding that the statue was a Roman copy of an ancient Greek original. 

Heraclea Sintica fell into rapid decline after the earthquake and was abandoned by around A.D. 500.

“Everything pagan was forbidden, and they have joined the new ideology, but apparently they took care of their old deities,” Vagalinski said.

Source: ntd.com

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

A postcard brought to life: Billy Cotsis explores the soul of Patmos

There is something about the freedom of being out on the Aegean. One can visit small islands, more populated islands, deserted beaches or simply go fishing.

From tragedy to triumph: Christina Vithoulkas becomes Australia’s first female para drifter

Vithoulkas never lost her love for extreme sports. Now 30, she has found the same thrill in drifting—a motorsport where cars slide sideways.

Program of the 11th International Summer University in Boston announced

The 11th International Summer University "Greek Language, Culture and Media" will take place from May 24-29 in Boston.

Hellenic Writer’s Association of Australia hold student literary competition

The Hellenic Writers’ Association of Australia has announced its annual Student Literary Competition, titled “From Greece to the World”.

Athens university develops first tool to measure TikTok addiction

A research team from the University of Athens has created the world’s first tool specifically designed to assess addiction to TikTok.

You May Also Like

US researcher launches ‘Crowdsourcing Romeyka’ to save rare Greek dialect

A connection between the language of Homer and Romeyka, an endangered form of Greek has been found by researchers.

Greek and Australian passports among the top ten most powerful for 2022

The Henley Passport Index has released rankings for the most powerful passports in the world and Greece and Australia have tied in 7th place.

NPL.TV shows off ‘massive appetite’ for football in Australia, says Peter Filopoulos

Football Victoria CEO Peter Filopoulos said that the new NPL.TV streaming service proves that Australia has a 'massive appetite' for live football, speaking in...