2,000-year-old Greek statue found in trash, under investigation

By Necva Tastan Sevinc

ISTANBUL (AA) - Greek authorities have announced the discovery of a 2,000-year-old marble statue from the Hellenistic period, found wrapped in a trash bag and discarded near garbage bins in Thessaloniki, the country’s second-largest city.

A 32-year-old man handed over the ancient artifact to the Thermaikos Crime Investigation and Prosecution Department on the evening of January 18, according to a press release from the Police.

Police stated that the man “allegedly found [the statue] inside a black bag near garbage cans.”

The white marble sculpture, which is missing its head and arms, depicts a woman’s torso draped in a flowing dress or cloak.

An archaeologist from the Ephorate of Antiquities, who examined the find, determined that it dates back to the Hellenistic period, which spanned from 323 BC to 31 BC.

The Cultural Heritage Protection Office seized the artifact, and an investigation is underway to determine whether the statue is linked to illegal artifact trafficking.

"The Northern Greece Organized Crime Sub-Directorate is conducting a preliminary investigation into the case," police confirmed.

The statue will be sent to the Forensic Investigations Sub-Directorate of Northern Greece for detailed laboratory analysis. Afterward, it will be safeguarded by the Ephorate of Antiquities for further evaluation and preservation.