Two 2,000-year-old marble eagle statues were discovered in a Hellenistic temple at Kynyk Mound, located near the village of Yesilyurt in the Turkish region of Altunkhisar.
The excavations at Kurgan are being carried out by a group of Italian, Turkish, American and French archaeologists. Two statues, one worn and the other sturdy, most likely from the late Hellenistic period.
The discovery was made in the pits of an area of about 2 100-year-old Hellenistic temples discovered last year.
The 70-centimeter statues of the Eagles with folded wings and heads slightly turned to the right are held by the claws of wild goats. They are currently on display at the Museum after restoration.
Another 1 meter long eagle statue that was discovered last year is also in the Museum of the Province of Nowhere.
Archaeologists have discovered Early Bronze Age levels in the Lower City. This means that life began with the city on the Kynyk Mound around 3000 BC. and continued until the late Hellenistic period.
In the layers, 5000 years of history can be traced. The Late Hellenistic period covers the period from 150 BC. 1 n. each e. The researchers found a large area and dug up 2 temples. It was in them that the statues were found in the pits during excavations. There are also marble, stone and ceramic sculptures.
Promotional video:
Relationship between the statues of the Eagle and Zeus
The discovered eagle statues were buried either to hide them, or people did not want to destroy because of their holiness. Both eagle statues can be traced back to the late Hellenistic period.
This is a common motive in the region. Similar eagle statues are in the museums of Nevsehir, Nigde, Kayseri and even the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations of Ankara. The wings of the Eagle statues are folded, the head is slightly turned, and they hold their prey tightly. An inscription was also found next to the statues.
On a small piece - the base of the statue, there are inscriptions, which say that a woman was healed next to the statue of Zeus or the temple of Zeus, and that is why they take a vow. That is why experts believe that these statues of the Eagle are associated with the worship of Zeus. Perhaps these statues were in the Temple of Zeus. A wild goat in the claws of an eagle is a motive, the meaning of which is not yet known for sure and has to be clarified.