A marble head of Zeus, almost 2000 years old, was found in Turkey. Photo

During excavations in the ancient city of Aphrodisium in western Turkey, a marble "head of Zeus" was found. It is made of a single block of medium-grained Aphrodisiac marble and was dated by archaeologists to the 2-3 centuries AD.

The 66-centimeter-high artifact was pre-cleaned and preserved to remove heavily hardened soil deposits, Arkeo News reports.

"A unique discovery in Aphrodisias: a colossal head of Zeus! The marble head demonstrates the greatness of Zeus, the most powerful and important god in Greek mythology. This important work, found 50 meters west of the Temple of Aphrodite, attracts attention with its superb hair and beard craftsmanship. Our work will continue to pass on Anatolia's rich past to future generations," writes Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, Minister of Culture and Tourism of Turkey, on his page on the social network X.

The city where the artifact was found is located in the upper valley of the Morsinus River in southwestern Turkey and consists of two parts: the northeastern marble quarries and the archaeological site of Aphrodisias. It was built a century after the Temple of Aphrodite, which dates back to the third century BC. The marble quarries of Aphrodisias and the sculptures that were created there were the source of its wealth. Temples, a theater, an agora, and two bath complexes are among the main public buildings that surround the city's streets.

One of the main reasons why Aphrodisias became a leading center for marble sculpture production was the proximity of marble quarries to the city. The city's sculptors were known in the Roman Empire for their virtuoso portrait sculpture, as well as their statues of the gods and Hellenistic-style Dionysius figures. They were the most skilled marble statue carvers of the time. Thanks to the methods used, the caliber of regional artistic design and the creation of elegant portrait sculpture, Aphrodisias occupied a special place in the Roman world.

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