“Mystery of the Headless Statue: Ancient Relic Discovered in Trash Sparks Archaeological Enigma in Thessaloniki”
Archaeologists Examine The Ancient Greek Statue Found In A Garbage Bag
Wikimedia CommonsThe port of the Greek city of Thessaloniki, where the statue was found.
After the statue was delivered to police and subsequently examined by archaeologists, CBS News published a report about the initial findings. According to the report, the statue measures in at 31 inches tall by 10 inches wide. It is made of marble and seems to depict a woman wearing a flowing garment, though it’s missing its head and arms.
Archaeologists believe it was made during the Hellenistic period. This era spanned from roughly 323 to 30 B.C.E. It’s considered by many experts to be a time of especially significant cultural and artistic evolution in the ancient Greek world.
Following the expansive conquests of Alexander the Great, ending with his death in 323 B.C.E., Greek culture mingled with influences from Egypt, Persia, and India, and these new cultural connections began to manifest in the art and culture of the time. This era also saw the establishment of various institutions like museums and great libraries, notably in Alexandria and Pergamon.
Artistically, there was a marked shift from the idealized forms of the Classical period to more realistic and expressive representations. Sculptors began to portray a wider range of subjects, including women, children, and the elderly, capturing intricate details and emotions as opposed to more neutral or typically “beautiful” idealizations. Additionally, the period saw the rise of the female nude as a popular subject, as well as representations of everyday life and lower-class subjects, moving beyond the traditional focus on Greek gods and heroes.
