Aphrodite statue found during Metro excavation works in Thessaloniki

New archaeological finds unearthed from the excavations for the Thessaloniki Metro include a headless statue of Aphrodite and floor mosaics from the 4th century AD.

Credit: Yiannis A. Mylopoulos

The Aphrodite statue was found on the site of Hagia Sophia station, near a fountain complex discovered only a few weeks ago.

Chairman of Attiko Metro SA, Yiannis Mylopoulos, posted the picture of the headless statue on Facebook. As he pointed out, this is the latest find among the 300,000 antiquities that came to light during the archaeological excavations in Thessaloniki.

Earlier, well-preserved mosaic floors from the 4th century were brought to light. The mosaics, which are of great aesthetic value, were also found at the southern entrance of the Hagia Sophia station, according to Voria.gr website.

Credit: Yiannis A. Mylopoulos

Archaeologists believe the multicolored mosaics belong to either a large public building complex or urban villas of the 4th century AD.

The mosaics are in good condition and they are typical geometric decorations, believed to have adorned the floor of the west portico gallery.

From the saved floor, a medal with a woman’s figure stands out. She is in a seated position but her face is destroyed; the face of a small child can be seen too, the Voria.gr report says.

Credit: Voria.gr

Apart from the floors, wall ruins and part of a bath that was in the complex have been saved. From the excavations that are still in progress, it turns out there was also a tank that supplied the bath with water. Glass fragments at the site likely belong to bottles with aromatic oils used by the bathers.

It is estimated that the complex was built in the 4th century and was used until the 5th century. Then it was wrecked and the marble-lined square was built on top.

The Attiko Metro chairman told Voria.gr the finds do not change the timetable of the project. “The findings will be evaluated by a special committee of the Ministry of Culture, in which we also participate to find the best way to exhibit them,” he said. Mylopoulos reiterated that for the Attiko Metro administration, the antiquities are not treated like obstacles that hinder the project but as part of this great work.

Author: Philip Chrysopoulos | Source: Greek Reporter [February 22, 2018]