How An Ancient Greek Hermes Bust Ended Up In A Sewer

KEY POINTS

An ancient statue of Hermes has been found by sewage workers in Athens in good condition
The bust depicts Hermes as much older than he is typically pictured
It is in the style of the sculptor Alcamanes, popularized about a century and a half after the statue was made

A statue head depicting the Greek god Hermes was discovered in central Athens by sewage workers, said Greek officials Sunday.

The bust is in good condition and shows Hermes as an older man, unusual for the typically-youthful god known for speed and health, reports the Associated Press.

Greece’s Culture Ministry said the head seemed to be from the early third century or late fourth century B.C. Busts such as this one often served as street markers in ancient Athens.

This handout picture released by the Greek Culture Ministry on November 15, 2020, shows the head of an ancient statue of the Greek god Hermes, in Athens, which has been unearthed during excavations for sewage system improvements in central Athens, the ministry of culture said on November 15, 2020. Greek Culture Ministry

At some point, it was relocated to the wall of a drainage system, where it was found Friday. The Culture Ministry said its style was similar to the acclaimed Greek sculptor Alcamenes, popular in the latter half of the fifth century B.C.

The ministry did not approximate its value, instead moving it to a warehouse of the directorate of antiques for safekeeping. Athens mayor Kostas Bakoyannis posted a picture of a bust on Facebook, saying he felt "pride and admiration."

See posts, photos and more on Facebook.

Greece isn't the only country unearthing ancient artifacts: Egypt recently found over 100 sarcophagi in the Saqqara necropolis south of Cairo. Those finds were unearthed in a UNESCO world heritage site, which archaeologists expect still have many more treasures yet to be revealed.

The lighthearted archaeological news is likely a welcome distraction for Greek readers. The country is facing another wave of the pandemic, with schools currently closed for the rest of the month as hospitals run out of beds.

Egypt