Archaeologists Unearth 7-Foot Roman-Repurposed Marble Statue in Sardis
Updated
Updated · Smithsonian Magazine · Aug 10
Archaeologists Unearth 7-Foot Roman-Repurposed Marble Statue in Sardis
3 articles · Updated · Smithsonian Magazine · Aug 10
Summary
A seven-foot marble statue of a young man was found in Sardis after Roman-era workers had broken it in two and laid both halves facedown as paving stones.
The figure dates to about 470-450 B.C.E. and appears to blend older sixth-century sculptural traits with newer fifth-century features, while wearing distinctly Lydian clothing.
Excavators say the reuse helped preserve the larger-than-life work, the first statue of its kind found at Sardis despite more than a century of digging at the site.
Researchers plan to clean, study and restore the sculpture—watching for traces of ancient paint—before it goes on display at the Manisa Museum.
The find could illuminate elite life and beliefs in Sardis during a period of Persian rule and cultural transition in the former Lydian capital, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.