Bulgarian archaeologists found an unexpected treasure this week during a dig in an ancient Roman sewer: a well-preserved marble statue of the Greek god Hermes.
The statue, standing 6.8 feet tall (2 meters), was discovered while excavating at the site of the ancient city of Heraclea Sintica in southwestern Bulgaria, near the Greek border.
According to archaeologists leading the excavation, the city was severely damaged by an earthquake around A.D. 388. They believe that to protect the statue from further harm, it was deliberately placed in the sewers and covered with soil. This careful burial helped maintain the statue’s excellent condition over the centuries.
In summary, the find of the Hermes statue provides valuable insights into the history and culture of ancient Heraclea Sintica, shedding light on how people preserved valuable artifacts during times of natural disasters like earthquakes.
Lyudmil Vagalinski, the leader of the archaeology team, described the statue’s condition as very good, with its head intact and only minor fractures on the hands. He noted that the statue is a Roman replica based on an original Greek artwork.
Heraclea Sintica was a large city established by the ancient Macedonian king Philip II of Macedon between 356 B.C. and 339 B.C. in what is now the Pirin Macedonia region of Bulgaria.
Archaeologists believe that residents of Heraclea Sintica likely made efforts to preserve the statue, even after Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire.
After the earthquake, Heraclea Sintica declined quickly and was deserted by around A.D. 500,” he said. “Anything pagan was banned, and people embraced the new ideology, but they seemed to still respect their ancient gods.
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