Archaeologists have uncovered a monumental marble statue at the ancient city of Sardis (Ancient Greek: Σάρδεις) in modern-day western Turkey. Researchers believe the sculpture is about 2,500 years old and may offer new insight into cultural exchange between the Greek, Lydian, and Persian worlds.
The statue was found during excavations in the Salihli district of Manisa province. The work was carried out under the coordination of Turkey’s General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Museums.
Turkey’s Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, announced the discovery on social media. He said the find could deepen understanding of the region’s ancient culture.
Standing 2.2 meters, or about 7.2 feet, tall, the statue depicts a young man. Archaeologists date it to the first half of the fifth century BCE, at the beginning of the Classical period in Greek art.
Sardis stood between major ancient cultures
Sardis was the capital of the Lydian Kingdom, which became famous for its wealth under King Croesus. His name later inspired the expression “rich as Croesus.” Historians also credit Sardis with producing some of the world’s earliest coins in the seventh century BCE. That development helped change trade by creating a standard form of payment.
After the fall of Lydia, Sardis became an administrative center of the Achaemenid Persian Empire. It also stood at the western end of the Royal Road, which connected Anatolia with the Persian heartland.
Sardes’te Anadolu arkeolojisine ışık tutacak eşsiz bir keşif! 🇹🇷
Manisa’daki Sardes Antik Kenti’nde yürütülen kazılarda, MÖ 5. yüzyılın ilk yarısına tarihlendirilen yaklaşık 2 bin 500 yıllık genç erkek heykelini gün yüzüne çıkardık.
2,2 metre yüksekliğindeki mermer heykel;… pic.twitter.com/troZy3lLNj
— Mehmet Nuri Ersoy (@MehmetNuriErsoy) August 3, 2026
The city maintained close links with Greek communities along the Aegean coast, including the major Ionian centers. Trade and cultural contact shaped its art, architecture and religious life. Centuries later, Sardis was named among the Seven Churches of Asia in the Book of Revelation.
Greek style meets local Lydian dress
Researchers say the statue reflects the city’s mixed cultural identity. Its upright pose and long hair follow older sculptural traditions. However, the more natural carving of the face and hands points to the early Classical period, when Greek artists began creating more realistic human forms.
The figure wears a thick himation over a lighter chiton. Beneath them is another garment marked by horizontal lines. Researchers say this combination has not been found on similar statues from Anatolia or mainland Greece.
🔴 Manisa’daki Sardes Antik Kenti’nde 2 bin 500 yıllık anıtsal erkek heykeli gün yüzüne çıkarıldı pic.twitter.com/geNoXHrlAd
— GZT (@gztcom) August 3, 2026
The clothing appears to combine Greek artistic forms with local Lydian dress. Experts believe the design reflects Sardis’ position between the Greek, Lydian and Persian worlds. The figure also appears to hold a piece of fruit, possibly a quince, in its right hand. Archaeologists believe it may have been intended as an offering to a deity.
Face-down burial protected the statue
Archaeologists found the statue in two large pieces. Its feet and several smaller fragments remain missing, but the face, hands, and drapery are unusually clear.
During the Roman period, builders reused the sculpture as construction material. They placed it face-down beneath the paving of Sardis’ colonnaded street. That position protected it from rain, wind and erosion for nearly 2,000 years.
Conservators will now search the marble and surrounding soil for traces of ancient paint. After cleaning, study and restoration, the statue will go on permanent display at the Manisa Museum.
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