‘We’re astounded and a bit perplexed by it’: colossal 2,500-year-old sculpture discovered at Unesco site in Turkey

A colossal 2,500-year-old statue was discovered in the ancient city of Sardis, located in modern-day Turkey, according to the country's ministry of culture. The statue, depicting a young man holding fruit, is believed to date back to the beginning of the Classical period in Greek art. It was found in two pieces but once stood seven feet high.

The sculpture's exceptional preservation is attributed to its reuse as a Roman-era paving stone on a colonnaded street. The discovery of this well-preserved artifact offers valuable insights into the art and social life of the period.

Sardis, a UNESCO World Heritage site, was the capital of the Lydians, a powerful Iron Age civilization known for its wealth and early coinage production. The Lydians were located at a crossroads between the Greek world and contemporary Near Eastern cultures during the time the sculpture was created. The statue's unique combination of styles, including the upright stance and long hair reminiscent of the sixth century BC, alongside the carving of the face and hands typical of the first half of the 5th century BC, sets it apart from previous finds.

Nicholas Cahill, the field director of the Sardis Expedition, expressed astonishment at the discovery, emphasizing the rarity of finding such a monumental sculpture. He noted the combination of old-fashioned hairstyles, clothing, and modern renditions of hands, facial features, and necks in one piece, which is quite striking. Hector Williams, an archaeologist who has worked at the site, called the statue one of the most unusual pieces to emerge from excavations in western Turkey in recent decades.

He highlighted the city's rich history as a hub of Lydian, Persian, Greek, and Roman cultures, making the discovery particularly significant for scholars studying the late archaic and classical periods.