The statuary heads of the mythological Greek goddess of love and beauty, Aphrodite, and the god of wine, Dionysus, have been unearthed in the ancient city of Aizanoi in western Turkey, Anadolu Agency has reported.
The excavations in the ancient city, which was included in the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List in 2012 and located 50 kilometers from the city center, are being continued by the Kütahya Museum Directorate.
Excavation coordinator, Gokhan Coskun, said the statues’ bodies were found in a previous dig, whilst the heads were unearthed during recent excavations in a creek bed in the ancient city.
“These are important findings for us, as they show that the polytheistic culture of ancient Greece existed for a long time without losing its importance in the Roman era,” Coskun told local media.
“The findings suggest that there may have been a sculpture workshop in the region.”
Home to one of the most well-preserved temples in Turkey, dedicated to the Greek god Zeus, the city of Aizanoi is easily comparable to Ephesus in its grandeur and importance. Initially inhabited by the Phrygians, the area was converted into a city in the first century BC by the Romans.
he site includes unique spots such as a temple, four roman bridges, the world’s first known indoor marketplace, theaters, roman baths and an ancient sacred cave.
