Farmer stumbles upon burial site filled with ancient Greek statues (PHOTOS)
A Greek farmer’s discovery of an antique fragment while tilling his field has led to the discovery of four ancient statues from the Archaic era and several historical graves.
The country’s Culture Ministry says they were alerted to the stunning discovery by a farmer who stumbled upon the torso of an ancient kouros – the Greek name given to free-standing sculptures of nude young men.
Archeologists have been excavating the site near the central Greek town of Atalanti, about 150 kilometers (94 miles) northwest of Athens, since mid-October. The Archaic era spanned from about the eighth century BC to the fifth.
So far a total of four large life-size limestone statues of young men in very good condition have been unearthed, as well as a triangular statue base. According to the ministry, the largest of the four is 1.22 meters (4 feet) in height and has a head.
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Buried beneath the torsos were seven graves, believed to be part of an ancient cemetery. Excavations on the site are continuing.
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