Official statement or report by Greek police or the Office for the Protection of Cultural Heritage

Headless Marble Statue of Woman from Hellenistic Era Found in Garbage Bag Near Thessaloniki

Jan 22, 2025, 06:00 PM

A marble statue believed to be more than 2,000 years old was discovered abandoned in a garbage bag near the Greek city of Thessaloniki. The 80-centimeter (31-inch) headless statue of a woman was found by a 33-year-old man beside a trash bin in Neoi Epivates, a suburb of Greece's second-largest city, on Saturday. The man reported the find to local authorities, who then contacted archaeologists for an evaluation. An archaeologist from the Ephorate of Antiquities of Thessaloniki examined the artifact and confirmed its authenticity. The statue was then confiscated by officers from the Office for the Protection of Cultural Heritage, who have launched an investigation into the matter. Experts have determined that the statue dates to the Hellenistic era, a period between 320 and 30 B.C., known for its flourishing art and culture following Alexander the Great's conquests. The artifact will undergo laboratory analysis before being transferred to the local ephorate for safekeeping and further evaluation. The statue has been sent for further examination and will be handed over to the local antiquities authority for preservation and study. Greek police have opened an investigation to determine who discarded the statue and briefly detained a man for questioning, though he was later released without charges. Accidental discoveries of ancient artifacts are common in Greece, often occurring during construction and public works.