The Hercules relief, carved into rock 2,000 years ago for workers at a stone quarry near Deliktaş on the road to Hisardere village in Bursa's İznik district, has been vandalized by unidentified individuals.
It is alleged that the staff in the statue's right hand, believed to represent power, has disappeared.
TURNED INTO A SWAMP
Furthermore, the former stone quarry site where the Hercules relief is located has turned into a swamp due to previously dumped olive waste. Carved into a rock fragment at the quarry in the 3rd century AD, Hercules—known as Heracles in Greek mythology—is believed to be the son of Zeus and Alcmene, the daughter of the King of Mycenae.
SEVEN-HEADED SERPENT IN HIS LEFT HAND
It was believed that statues and reliefs in those times protected people from evil.
In the relief, Hercules holds the staff representing his power in his right hand, and the seven-headed serpent he killed in his left. This character is known as Heracles in Greek mythology and Hercules in Roman mythology.
'LET US PROTECT OUR HISTORY'
Özdemir Yiğit, who visited the Hercules relief, said, "We came to İznik to see the Hercules statue. We were very happy to see the magnificent statue. However, this disorder and lack of maintenance around it really caught our attention. Let us protect our history."
News Source: İHA
