1,800-year-old statue of woman found in western Turkey

By Handan Kazanci

ISTANBUL (AA) - A 1,800-year-old statue of a woman was unearthed in Turkey’s western Izmir province, Turkish officials announced on Saturday.

In a Twitter post, the Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry’s Department of Excavations said the statue was found in the ancient city of Metropolis located in Izmir’s Torbali district, and noted: “Our excavations will continue in 2021.”

It also shared a 39-second video showing the process of unearthing the ancient statue.

The ancient city of Metropolis is located 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the western Turkish city of Izmir and 45 kilometers (28 miles) from the world-renowned ancient city of Ephesus.

The site, which bears traces of Classical, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman periods, has been under excavation for years as part of a project jointly carried out by the Culture and Tourism Ministry and Celal Bayar University.