Unique figurines found in Patara

ANTALYA – Doğan News Agency

Excavations ongoing in the ancient city of Patara in the southern province of Antalya have revealed two figurines dating back to 3,000 and 7,000 B.C. DHA Photo

Excavations ongoing in the ancient city of Patara in the southern province of Antalya have revealed two figurines dating back to 3,000 and 7,000 B.C.

According to reports, the stone figurines, which had not been discovered in earlier excavations, reveal the connection between the Bronze Age and Anatolian cultures.

The other figurine that was found during the excavations is made of earthenware and highlights the importance of the Patara Port in ancient times. The figurine from the eastern Mediterranean depicts the goddess Astarte, who is the goddess of fertility. Although it reflects the artistic features of Ionian civilization, the Astarte figurine was found along with Cypriot ceramics.

The head of the excavations, Professor Havva İşkan Işık at Akdeniz University’s Archaeology Department, said the history of Lycia would be rewritten with these new findings.