By Alimat Aliyeva

During archaeological excavations conducted in the ancient city of Aspendos in the Serik region of Antalya, statues of Zeus and Aphrodite dating back to the Roman era and more than 2000 years old were found, Azernews reports.

The Minister's statement reads: "We are trying to leave a legacy for the future! During the excavations carried out as part of our future heritage project in the ancient city of Aspendos, two magnificent statues from the Roman Empire era were discovered. An ongoing archaeological expedition in the two-storey Stoa complex has uncovered impressive 2,000-year-old statues of Zeus and Aphrodite. I wish that the exhibits we found were useful for the cultural and tourist life of our country."

The ancient city of Aspendos, whose history dates back to the 10th century BC, was one of the most important settlements in the Pamphylia region. The city was built on the banks of the Kepruchai River, about 8 km from the sea, and is known for its hilltop agora, monumental fountain, temple, stadium, council building and Roman basilica, surrounded in some places by fortified walls.

Inspired by the new findings of the excavations carried out as part of the large-scale "Heritage of the Future" project, archaeologists faced a surprise while working in a two-storey complex of 15 shops and warehouses located west of the agora. It turned out that in the Roman period this area was a place of sculpture processing.
During the excavations, a statue of Zeus, the supreme god of the ancient Greeks, was found for the first time in good condition next to the work table of that period. The statue of Zeus sitting on a throne shows strong abdominal muscles. However, the lower part of the statue was cut off and then reconnected.

Another statue belongs to Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty. Aphrodite is depicted half-naked, standing, holding a shawl in her hands, next to her is a support in the form of imperial armor. The statues are about 50 centimeters high and have an elegant sculptural style. It is believed that they were carved during the Roman Empire.

It is reported that after the completion of documentation, cleaning and restoration work, the statues will be transferred to the Antalya Museum.

Archaeologists say work is continuing in other parts of the mall, but they expect excavations in all stores to be completed this year, and hope for major finds in all parts located at the site.