Two important archaeological discoveries have been made in just a few days at ancient Turkish sites. The first statue, found on August 3 in the ancient city of Sardis, in the west of the country, measures more than 2,2 meters and dates back to the period between 470 and 450 BC.
Discovered in two parts beneath a Roman road, the sculpture had been placed face down to be used for paving the street. The figure depicted wears a himation and a chiton, two garments from ancient Greece, combined with a striped fabric that likely reflects the influence of Lydian culture.
A representation of the god Asclepius at Aspendos
Three days later, another monumental marble statue was unearthed in the Greco-Roman city of Aspendos, near Antalya. Dating from the late 2nd century AD, it depicts Asclepius, the ancient god of medicine, as a mature man with long hair and a full beard.
A smaller sculpture of Telesphorus, one of the sons of Asclepius associated with healing and convalescence, was also found. According to the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, these remains will provide a better understanding of the medical cults, beliefs, and social life of the inhabitants of Aspendos.
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