Professor Lorenz Baumer said: “There is no doubt that it is Hercules.
A Roman-era cargo ship, discovered off the Greek island of Antikythera more than 120 years ago and billed as the richest ancient shipwreck in the world, has yielded more treasures in the discoveries most recently about it. Underwater archaeologists have discovered the head of a 2,000-year-old Hercules statue, as well as other artifacts resembling human teeth.
Based on GuardiansProfessor Lorenz Baumer, a classical archaeologist overseeing the underwater mission with the University of Geneva, said, “In 1900, [sponge divers] pull out Hercules statue [from the sea] and now we’ve probably found the beginning of it. “
Mr. Baumer added, “It’s a most impressive piece of marble.” He went on to describe the features of the statue bearing all the marks of one of the great heroic figures of Greek and Roman mythology. Mr Baumer said: ‘It was twice the size of its lifespan, had a large beard, a very distinctive face and short hair. Without a doubt, it is Hercules.”
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The discovery of the sculpture, along with other marble legs, human teeth and parts of the ship’s equipment, was made possible by the removal of three rocks that partially covered the body. ship at the bottom of the sea. For nearly three weeks, a team of marine archaeologists and specially trained divers approached an area that had never been explored before.
Guardians reported that two teeth were embedded in encrusted marine sediments that occurred on shipwrecks. Now, researchers believe that genetic and isotope analysis of the remains could prove a breakthrough in unraveling who sailed on the ship.
Several previous expeditions have also explored the wreck. The most famous of the huge marble and bronze, ceramic and glass goods is the Antikythera Mechanism – a device used to map the motions of the sun, moon, and planets that was discovered by the ancients. Scientists describe as the world’s first analog computer.
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Based on Newsweekthe latest mission is the second in a five-year research program by the Greek Foundation for Marine Antiquities, which runs until 2025.
