4,500-year-old goddess figurine discovered during surface surveys in Bergama

UNESCO World Heritage List site Pergamon Ancient City boasts significant historical monuments, such as the Asklepion, where the world's first psychotherapy methods were applied, and the Red Basilica, one of the seven churches mentioned in the Bible.

The ancient city, which bears traces of the Hellenistic, Roman, Eastern Roman, and Ottoman periods, also houses the largest library established on the Asian continent. Excavations at Pergamon, where the first parchment production in history took place, are being carried out by a team from the German Archaeological Institute and Turkish experts with the permission of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

During surface surveys conducted in the region this year, a 4.5-centimeter-tall marble figurine dating to the Bronze Age, which is considered to be part of a prehistoric belief system, was found.

"THE IDOL WE FOUND IS SIMILAR TO THOSE IN TROY"

Excavation head and Director of the German Archaeological Institute Prof. Felix Pirson told an AA reporter that modern archaeology conducts research not only in city centers but also in the surroundings and areas of influence of cities.

Stating that they utilize maps, satellite photos, and geophysical surveys in their surface research, Pirson expressed that they are also trying to learn about life in the vicinity of ancient cities.

Noting that surface surveys in the Bakırçay Plain are ongoing, Pirson stated the following:

"The approximately 4.5-centimeter marble idol (goddess figurine) we found in a mound was the most important discovery of this year. It is a find that is more or less 4,500 years old. The small marble figure depicts a human. It is not very detailed, but it is a bit like a modern art piece. We think this idol is a cult object belonging to the Bronze Age. Perhaps it is a goddess, the founder of that region. We don't know exactly, but we know it was very, very important to the people of that period. The idol we found is similar to those in Troy. That is why this first discovery is very important to us because this idol showed us what a high culture existed around this region. Generally, we don't have much information about the prehistory of Western Anatolia. We know Troy well, but we had very little information about the entire Bakırçay Plain. Such a find has become very important for this place. This idol shows that this region was not just a poor area where agriculture was practiced, but a high-culture area."

Pointing out that they have very little information about prehistoric Bergama, Pirson stated that similar finds had not emerged, especially from the early Bronze Age period.

Manisa Celal Bayar University Archaeology Department faculty member and Deputy Head of the Pergamon Ancient City Excavations Assoc. Prof. Dr. Güler Ateş also stated that the idol shows that Bergama and its surroundings were part of a specific belief geography.

Stating that a similar figure was encountered in Troy, Ateş said, "It is one of the typical idols found in Western Anatolia. Its importance for us is that no such idol has been found in Bergama and its surroundings until today. In that respect, it is very important."