Experts and archaeologists from the Istanbul City Hall have discovered in the Saraçhane Archaeological Park, located in the historic center of the city not far from the Valens Aqueduct, a statue from the Roman period of about 1,900 years old, found in the area of the ancient Byzantine church of Saint Polyeuktos, which was destroyed during the sack and Latin occupation of Constantinople.
Teams from the Istanbul Historical Heritage Department began archaeological excavations in the area of the church on June 8, 2022; finally, on March 31, they discovered a meter deep, on the north side of the ruins of the church, a statue of which mainly the torso has been preserved, and which has been dated to be 1,900 years old: a discovery named as “surprising” by the team, which also found during the work 681 bronze coins, ceramic and marble remains, oil lamps, and artifacts made of glass and metal.
The church of Saint Polyeuktos was built in the year 524 AD, being partially damaged in the year 1010 as a result of an earthquake that the city of Constantinople suffered; it would, however, be during the Crusader sack of the city in 1204 when the Byzantine Orthodox church was completely destroyed, its treasures and valuables being stolen and transported to Venice and Barcelona.
Already in the 20th century, experts from the Istanbul Archaeological Museum and the University of Oxford (England) carried out a joint excavation project in 1964 in the area where the old church is located, managing to unearth its main floor, although without finding any artifact. After this project, the place remained idle until the recent launch of a new archaeology project at the municipal initiative, which has led to the discovery of this valuable Roman statue.
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Pablo Gómez is a specialist in Turkey and has been editor-in-chief of Hispanatolia since 2011. He has been analysing current affairs and geopolitics in Turkey and the surrounding region since 2006.
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