Archaeologists led by Professor Dr. Lyudmil Vagalinski from the National Archaeological Museum have unearthed an exceptionally well-preserved marble statue in the ancient city of Heraclea Sintica near Petrich, southwestern Bulgaria. This remarkable find emerged during recent excavations in the Cloaca Maxima, the Roman sewage system.
Credit: Archaeologia Bulgarica
Heraclea Sintica, founded by Philip II of Macedon between 356 and 339 BCE, experienced a significant decline after a devastating earthquake in CE 425. The city was largely abandoned by around CE 500, and its ruins were only identified in 2002 following the discovery of a Latin inscription documenting correspondence between Emperor Galerius and Caesar Maximinus II.
The statue, standing over two meters tall, is believed to depict Hermes, a prominent deity in the Ancient Greek pantheon, equivalent to Mercury in the Roman pantheon. “This ancient statue is not only the best-preserved among those found here but also in all of Bulgaria,” Professor Vagalinski emphasized, highlighting the significance of the find.
The statue was discovered in an area of private property, which complicates permanent conservation efforts. “In this area, where the big sewage system is, my main concern is how to preserve the ancient structures we uncovered six years ago,” Professor Vagalinski explained. The team decided to open up the grates on the canal to check its condition, which led to the discovery of the marble statue.
Credit: Archaeologia Bulgarica
It is believed that the statue was placed in the sewer following the great earthquake, possibly to preserve it or as a symbolic rejection of pagan beliefs during a time when Christianity was becoming the official religion. The statue is made from a single marble block, likely dating back to the 2nd century CE. According to the archaeologists, it has parallels with other depictions of Hermes but remains a unique find for Bulgaria.
Efforts are currently underway to fully uncover and safely remove the statue. A special structure is being prepared to lift the heavy sculpture with a crane and transport it to the History Museum in Petrich. After necessary restoration and conservation, the statue will be exhibited for visitors.
This discovery has been documented by Archaeologia Bulgarica, with Professor Vagalinski noting, “We still have a lot of work to do and I do not want to rush to conclusions, but from now on I can say that this ancient statue is not only the best preserved among the discovered here, but also on the territory of Bulgaria in general.”