2,000-year-old relief bust of king found in Turkey

Published on January 9th, 2012 | by Sevaan Franks

Archaeologists working in the ancient city of Stratonikeia in Turkey have found a relief bust depicting a king which dates back 2,000 years.

Dr. Bilal Sö?üt, a professor of archeology at Pamukkale University and head of the excavations, told the Anatolia news agency that they found a street in the ancient city which began with a gate and was lined with columns. During their excavations, they also discovered the bust of a king dating back to the Hellenistic period. The bust, which is one-and-a-half meters tall and nearly two meters wide, features depictions of bull heads and the figure of a goddess, Sö?üt said.

“The depictions of bull heads on the bust represent wealth and power. It was in this region that we previously found a racing chariot. The discovery of 1,500-year-old mosaics here was another welcome breakthrough for us,” he said.

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Story: Today’s Zaman | Photo: AA

Tags: Busts, Kings, Reliefs, Stratonikeia, Turkey