Sculpture Heads Found in Excavations in Aizanoi Ancient City!

Kane Khanh | Archeaology
September 29, 2023

Heads of statues belonging to the Greek gods ‘Eros’, ‘Dionysus’ and ‘Heracles’ were found in the excavations in the ancient city of Aizanoi in Turkey.

During the excavations carried out in the ancient city of Aizanoi, which is on the Kutahya Heritage Tentative List; In addition to the 2 meters 10 cm high male statue, the heads of the Greek mythology gods ‘Eros’ and ‘Dionysus’ and the demigod ‘Herakles’ were unearthed.


Excavation Director Prof. Dr. Gokhan Coskun stated that the statues belong to 2000 years ago and said, “The male statue is 2.10 meters high, only half of its pedestal and one foot are missing; other parts are completely preserved,” he said.

Excavations in the ancient city of Aizanoi in Kutahya district of Cavdarhisar are carried out by the Archeology Department of the Kutahya Dumlupınar University (DPU) Faculty of Arts and Sciences, with 80 workers and 20 technical personnel, in the Penkalas Stream, agora and theater sections.

History BC Excavations in the ancient city, which dates back to 3000 BC and is thought to be one of the metropolises of the period with its historical structures such as theatre, stadium, agora and Zeus Temple, were concentrated on Penkalas Stream.

Archaeologists, who preserved the 2 meters 10 cm high male statue in the last excavations, unearthed the statue heads of ‘Eros’, known as the god of love in Greek mythology, ‘Dionysus’, the god of wine, and ‘Heracles’, the demigod.

Noting that the restoration of the Roman period marble bridge No. 2 was completed during the excavations in Penkalas Stream, Head of Excavation Prof. Dr. Gokhan Coskun said that the works on the bridge No. 3, which was completely destroyed, are continuing.

THE SCULPTURES ARE IN GOOD CONDITION

Expressing that they were very excited about the statue they found in the recent excavations, Coskun said, “This statue is almost the only statue we have found so far. It is a statue of a man and has a height of 2 meters and 10 centimeters, missing only half of its pedestal and one foot; Other parts are completely preserved,” he said.