The Minister of Culture and Tourism of Turkey, Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, announced an important discovery after he confirmed yesterday that a group of archaeologists has unearthed a statue of Hermes in the ruins of Aspendos, an ancient Greco-Roman city located in the southern province of Antalya.
According to Turkish media reports, Ersoy posted a message on social media saying: ‘In Aspendos, the silent witness of time, figures that have been buried for centuries have come to light. During the current excavations under the Future Heritage project, a statue of Hermes from the Roman imperial period has been discovered. Heads of Aphrodite and Eros, as well as fragments of statues of Artemis and Nemesis, were also discovered in the same area.’
Apparently, the statue – made of marble – was found among the ruins of an ancient monumental fountain (nymphaion) located on the south side of the city’s gateway, east of Theatre Street in Aspendos: an area of the ancient city where archaeological excavations have been taking place since 2024. The effigy represents the god Hermes, known as the messenger of Zeus and who in Greek mythology was the deity associated with roads, hospitality, diplomacy, sports and astronomy, as well as protector of thieves, merchants and shepherds.
The sculpture depicts Hermes, holding a kerykeion (staff) in his left hand, with a money bag in his right hand and a cloak hanging from his shoulder. Next to his left foot is a sculpted figure of a ram gazing at the god. The carving stands on a pedestal stone with an inscription on it, with Hermes leaning on his left leg while his right leg is shown slightly bent at the knee and moved forward.
The statue of Hermes was found broken into numerous pieces, but has been almost completely restored to its former glory. With a total height of 1.65 metres, archaeologists have dated it to the period of the Roman Empire – around the end of the 2nd or beginning of the 3rd century – based on its stylistic characteristics. In the same area of Aspendos, 2,024 heads of figures belonging to Aphrodite (goddess of love and beauty) and Eros (god of love) have been found in the excavations, as well as fragments of carvings representing Artemis – goddess of hunting, nature and animals – and Nemesis, goddess of justice, revenge, balance and destiny.
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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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