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During excavations in the ancient city of Aphrodisias in western Turkey, a marble "head of Zeus" was found. It is made of a solid block of medium-grained marble of Aphrodite, and was dated by archaeologists to the 2nd-3rd centuries AD.
The 66-centimeter-tall artifact underwent preliminary cleaning and conservation to remove heavily hardened soil deposits, write Arkeo News, reports OBOZ.UA, informs UAINFO.org.
"A unique discovery in Aphrodisias: the colossal head of Zeus! The marble head demonstrates the majesty of Zeus, the most powerful and important god in Greek mythology. This important work, found 50 meters west of the Temple of Aphrodite, is remarkable for the exquisite craftsmanship of the hair and beard. Our work will continue to pass on Anatolia's rich past to future generations," writes Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, Turkey's Minister of Culture and Tourism on your page in the social network H.
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 produced there were the source of its wealth. Temples, a theater, an agora and two complexes of baths belong to the main public buildings that surround the streets of the city.
One of the main reasons why Aphrodisias became a leading center for the production of marble sculpture was its proximity to the city of marble quarries. The city's sculptors were famous in the Roman Empire for their virtuoso portrait sculpture, as well as their statues of gods and figures of Dionysius in the Hellenistic style. They were the most skilled carvers of marble statues of that time. Aphrodisias held a special place in the Roman world due to the methods used, the caliber of regional artistic design and the creation of sophisticated portrait sculpture.
