Authorities in Thessaloniki have launched an investigation into a Hellenistic-era sculpture found discarded inside a plastic bag near a municipal trash bin.
The artifact, measuring 31 inches (80 cm) tall, was discovered by a 32-year-old local man on the evening of January 18. The man promptly handed the sculpture over to local authorities, who launched an investigation.
An archaeologist from the Ephorate of Antiquities, dispatched to examine the artifact, confirmed its origins in the Hellenistic era. This historical period spans from the death of Alexander the Great in 323 B.C. to the death of Cleopatra VII and the Roman conquest of Ptolemaic Egypt in 30 B.C.—a date marking the fall of the last great Hellenistic kingdom.
The sculpture will be sent to the Criminal Investigation Department of northern Greece to determine the circumstances surrounding its disposal. Once the investigation is complete, the artifact will be transferred to the Ephorate of Antiquities for preservation and further study.
Cover Photo Credit: Greek Police
