Two heads of Greek gods were found in Aizanoi, an ancient city 50 kilometers from the center of Kütahya, in western Turkey.
These are the splendid heads of Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty, and of Dionysus, god of wine.
The coordinator of the excavations, Professor Gökhan Coşkun of the Kütahya Dumlupınar University, said that the bodies of the statues had already been found in a previous excavation and that the heads were unearthed during recent investigations in the ancient city stream bed.
An archaeologist unearths the statue head of the goddess Aphrodite, Aizanoi, Kütahya, western Turkey, Oct. 29, 2021. (ph. Daily Sabah)
According to Prof. Coşkun:
“These are important findings for us, as they show that the polytheistic belief culture of ancient Greece existed for a long time without losing its importance in the Roman era. The findings suggest that there may have been a sculpture workshop in the region”
Excavation coordinator told Anadolu Agency (AA) that the work in Aizanoi, a site which dates back 5,000 years, was carried on without interruption with 100 workers and 27 technical personnel.
In fact, you must know that in ancient times, the city of Aizanoi was a center comparable to the more famous Ephesus in size and importance. Initially inhabited by the Phrygians, the Romans made it a real city in the 1st century BC.
The head of Dioniscus discovered in Aizanoi, Turkey (ph. Daily Sabah)
We can still admire today one of the best preserved temples in Turkey, four Roman bridges (two of which are still in use today), the first indoor market known in the world with the prices of the goods sold still visible on the walls thanks to the perfectly legible inscriptions , theaters, Roman baths and an ancient sacred cave.
Aphrodite’s head found in Aizanoi (ph. Daily Sabah)
With a history of over 5,000 years behind it – a few weeks ago also the news of the discovery of the statue of the Greek goddess Hygieia – Aizanoi has been included in the provisional list of UNESCO world heritage since 2012.
Font – Daily Sabah
Trained at the University of Turin, where she obtained her three-year degree in Cultural Heritage Sciences and her master’s degree in History of Archaeological and Historical-Artistic Heritage, she specialized at the University of Milan, graduating in Archaeological Heritage. Freelancer, she deals with computer archeology and virtual heritage, museum displays, 2D graphics and multimedia products applied to cultural heritage. Collaborates with various public and private bodies in the field of projects related to the research, enhancement, communication and promotion of cultural heritage. She deals with the creation of cultural itineraries relating to the entire Italian Peninsula and the development of content (creation of texts and photographic production) for paper and virtual publications. Her study interests include the development of new techniques and means of communication for the enhancement of cultural heritage and the evolution of the symbolism of power between the Late Antiquity and the early Middle Ages.
