Greek God's Ancient Marble Statue Discovered In 'Very Good Condition' During Excavation In Roman Sewer

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Bulgarian archaeologists made an unexpected discovery this week during a dig in an ancient Roman sewer-a well-preserved marble statue depicting the Greek god Hermes.

The 6.8-foot (2-meter) tall statue was unearthed during excavation at the site of the ancient city of Heraclea Sintica in southwestern Bulgaria, near the Greek border, Reuters reported.

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The archaeologists leading the excavation explained that the well-preserved marble statue of Hermes was found in the ancient Roman sewer because it had been deliberately placed there and covered with soil following a devastating earthquake around A.D. 388.

Archaeologists stand next to a marble statue, uncovered at the site of the remains of the ancient city of Heraclea Sinitica, near the village of Rupite, Bulgaria, July 5, 2024. REUTERS/Spasiyana Sergieva

“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, a vast city, was established by the ancient Macedonian king Philip II of Macedon between 356 B.C. and 339 B.C. in what is currently the Bulgarian region of Pirin Macedonia.

According to archaeologists, it is likely that the residents of Heraclea Sintica endeavored to safeguard the statue even after Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire.

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

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

(With inputs from Reuters)

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