Bulgarian archaeologists excavating an ancient Roman sewer have stumbled upon an unexpected treasure—a well-preserved statue of the Greek god Hermes.
The two-meter tall figure made of white marble is in remarkable condition, according to CNN, especially considering it has been lying in the sewer for centuries. The statue’s head is completely intact, though its arms have been broken.
Archaeologists believe that after a powerful earthquake destroyed the large city of Heraclea Sintica around 388 AD, the statue was carefully placed in the sewer and buried under dirt. These storage conditions likely explain the excellent state of this archaeological artifact.
“The statue is in very good condition,” confirmed renowned Bulgarian archaeologist Lyudmil Vagalinski, who led the research team. He also noted that the statue is a Roman copy of an ancient Greek original.
The team believes that the residents of Heraclea Sintica likely tried to preserve the statue even after Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire, which banned all pagan practices. The townspeople embraced the new faith but still took care of their old deities, Dr. Vagalinski pointed out.
The ruins of Heraclea Sintica are located in southwestern Bulgaria, in the village of Rupite, near the border with Greece. Archaeologists discovered them in 2002. The city was founded by Philip II of Macedon between 356 and 339 BC. Following the aforementioned earthquake, Heraclea Sintica gradually declined.
Photo: CNN