An ancient statue of Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, handicraft and warfare, has been put on display at the Izmir Archaeological Museum for the first time since it was unearthed in the 1930s.
As part of its "You Will See What You Can't See" project, the museum introduces a new, special artifact to visitors every month. Greek goddess Athena, associated with wisdom and good counsel, war, the defense of towns, heroic endeavor, weaving, pottery and various other crafts, is this month's guest of the museum.
Dating back to the Archaic and Hellenistic periods, four different statuettes depicting Athena have been put on display for museum visitors. Among the display, an ancient statue that was unearthed in the excavations in the Bayraklı district of the western Izmir province in the 1930s stands out. The artifact, the pieces of which were brought together by experts after nearly 90 years, meet history enthusiasts for the first time since its discovery.
The 28-centimeter (11.02-inch) terracotta artifact, dating back to the period between 300 and 600 B.C., depicts Athena with an oval face, distinctive nose, mouth, chin and black hair. The statuette, which had been found in approximately 40 pieces and kept in chests, was put together as a result of the careful work of the expert team at the museum.
The latest display of the museum also includes a 5-centimeter terracotta Athena figurine head unearthed in 2013 from the Klazomenai ruins, a 12-centimeter-tall Athena statue found in 2012 in the Aliağa Cyme excavation, and an 18-centimeter marble Athena head that was brought to the museum through purchase.
