2,500-Year-Old Marble Colossus Unearthed at UNESCO Site in Turkey
A remarkable marble statue depicting a standing youth, from the early 5th century BCE (circa 470–450 BCE), was unearthed in Sardes, Turkey, which has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since July 2025. Originally measuring approximately 2.20 meters in height, it was discovered in two pieces, repurposed as a paving slab beneath a Roman street. The excavation was led by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy described the find as a significant archaeological achievement. The statue showcases 6th-century BCE Lydian artistic styles and features a distinctive garment. It is depicted holding a fruit, likely a quince. Ongoing studies will precede its exhibition at the Manisa Museum, while visitor facilities at Sardes are being improved.
Key facts
- A monumental marble statue of a standing youth was discovered at Sardes, Turkey.
- The statue dates to the first half of the 5th century BCE (c. 470–450 BCE).
- It was found broken in two, face down, reused as a paving slab in a Roman-era street.
- The statue stands about 2.20 meters tall, larger than life-size.
- The excavation was led by the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Museums of the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
- Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy called it one of the most significant archaeological discoveries in Turkey in recent years.
- The statue's clothing includes a garment with horizontal stripes, a style with no known equivalent in Greek or Anatolian sculpture.
- The statue will undergo conservation and scientific analysis, including searches for traces of polychromy.
- After conservation, it will be displayed at the Manisa Museum.
- The Sardes site, a UNESCO World Heritage site since July 2025, will have a single buffer zone encompassing the city and the Bin Tepe tumuli.
Entities
Institutions
- UNESCO
- General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Museums of the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism
- Manisa Museum
Locations
- Sardes
- Turkey
- Salihli district
- Manisa province
- Bin Tepe