The statuary heads of two Greek gods have been unearthed in an ancient city in western Turkey, according to an archaeologist working at the site.
The heads of both Aphrodite, the goddess of love, and Dionysus, the god of wine, were discovered, excavation coordinator Gokhan Coskun told Anadolu Agency.
Noting that the statues’ bodies were found in a previous dig, Coskun, an archaeologist at Dumlupinar University, said the heads were unearthed during recent excavations in a creek bed in the ancient city of Aizanoi.
“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,” he said. “The findings suggest that there may have been a sculpture workshop in the region.”
Masterfully carved from limestone, the head of Aphrodite measures 19 inches tall and Dionysus’ is 17 inches.
The statues’ bodies were found in a previous dig but it remains unclear how the heads were separated from them.
The ancient city of Aizanoi
Modern Turkey is the site of many ancient Greek and Roman era settlements.
Aizanoi, in particular, has a history dating back 5,000 years and was included in the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List in 2012.
Located in western Anatolia, Turkey, the ancient city is host to a wealth of historical artefacts, including one of the best-preserved temples, which was built for the Greek god Zeus.
Other notable features include two Turkish-style baths, a gymnasium, the sacred cave of Metre Steune and roman bridges, which are still in use today.
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