11 July 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Torrential Rain Reveal 2500-Year-old Small Bull Statue

After heavy rains near the ancient Olympia site, a bronze bull statue of a bull believed to be at least 2500 years old was unearthed in Greece.

The discovery of a small, intact object was made by archaeologists near the temple, the Greek Ministry of Culture said.

It was found near the temple of Zeus and the Altis, the sacred enclosure and core of the sanctuary, the ministry said. “One of its horns was poking out of the ground following recent heavy rainfall.”

Archaeologist Zaharoula Leventouri noticed a small horn sticking out of the moist soil near the temple of Zeus during an inspection and stopped to carefully remove the soil from the area.

Archaeologist Zaharoula Leventouri unearthed a small bronze bull and dated this small statuette to the Geometric period of Greece from 1000 BC to 700 BC.

The burn marks on the statuette suggest that it may have been one of the thousands of offerings to the Greek god Zeus.

Archaeologists have discovered dozens of exquisite pottery with unique geometric patterns of the period, but bronze statues of that period are not common because the Greeks later melted many bronze sculptures to reuse this material for hundreds of years.

A bronze bull idol unearthed at the archaeological site of Olympia in Greece. Photograph: Greek Ministry of Culture/Reuters
A bronze bull idol unearthed at the archaeological site of Olympia in Greece. Photograph: Greek Ministry of Culture/Reuters

The bronze bull was sent for further investigation by experts from the Greek Ministry of Culture who later determined that it was most likely a gift dedicated to Zeus in his temple at Ancient Olympia.

Like other animal and human figurines, the bull discovered near the temple of Zeus was likely to have been offered by believers during a sacrifice, which would explain the burn marks and “sediments removed during its purification”, the ministry added.

The ancient Olympic Games were held in Olympia every four years from 776 BC to at least 393 AD, and the cities and states of Greece put aside conflicts in order to participate.

Located in the Peloponnese, Olympia was an important center not only of religious life in ancient Greece but also of sports.

Cover Photo:  AMNA

Related Articles

Shetland Discoveries Seem Close to Uncovering Ancient Viking Capital

4 July 2021

4 July 2021

Important discoveries were made on the last day of excavations to find the ancient Viking capital of Shetland, through the...

Historical Armenian church 500-year-old in southeastern Turkey set to be restored

6 February 2022

6 February 2022

Work has been initiated to transfer the historical Armenian Church, which was built in the 16th century in the province...

500-year-old Ottoman bath revived after years of restoration

5 April 2024

5 April 2024

The 500-year-old Zeyrek Çinili Hammam, a masterpiece of Mimar Sinan and one of the most important examples of Ottoman Bath...

The Ramesseum’s ‘House of Life’ Reveals Ancient Egypt’s Educational Secrets!

6 April 2025

6 April 2025

A recent archaeological mission has unveiled groundbreaking findings at the Ramesseum, the grand mortuary temple of Pharaoh Ramesses II, located...

Oman discovers fort dating back to the 5th century in North Al Batinah

12 March 2022

12 March 2022

A fort dating back to the 5th century has been discovered at Oman’s Al Fulaij archaeological site in North Al...

2,400-Year-Old Puppets with Dramatic Expressions Uncovered: May Have Played Key Roles in Rituals atop El Salvador’s Pyramid

5 March 2025

5 March 2025

A recent archaeological find in El Salvador has unveiled a captivating glimpse into the rituals of the region’s Indigenous people,...

Numerous Statue Fragments Unearthed at Lost Apollo Sanctuary in Cyprus!

29 April 2025

29 April 2025

The Sanctuary of Apollo at Frangissa, located near ancient Tamassos and lost for approximately 140 years, has been rediscovered through...

7500-year-old idol of Goddess Asherah located in Israel

22 May 2022

22 May 2022

Archaeologists excavating an ancient cemetery in Israel have discovered an idol they believe belongs to the goddess Ashera at a...

Archaeologists conducting excavations at the Roman Fort of Apsaros in Georgia, found evidence of the Legion X Fretensis

27 May 2023

27 May 2023

Polish scientists discovered that Legion X Fretensis, known for its brutal suppression of Jewish uprisings, was stationed in the early...

Military Team Discovers Remarkable 2,000-Year-Old Celtic Artifacts, Including Chariot Parts and Bridle-Bit

4 February 2025

4 February 2025

Military personnel and veterans at RAF Valley in Anglesey on the island of Anglesey, Wales, have uncovered sensational Iron Age...

Statue heads of “Aphrodite” and “Dionysus” were found in Aizanoi Ancient City in Turkey’s

30 October 2021

30 October 2021

The statue heads of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, and Dionysus, the god of wine, were unearthed in...

Traces of fossilized crabs in the Zagros Mountains, Iran which may hint at a hotbed of biodiversity dating from 15 million years

18 April 2022

18 April 2022

A group of paleontologists from the  University of Tehran has discovered traces of fossilized crabs in the Iranian which may...

Crusade period grave field and a sword discovered in Finland

15 October 2023

15 October 2023

A large cemetery from the time of the Crusades was discovered near a medieval stone church in Salo Perttel, a...

Archaeologists find sunken ancient Egyptian warship under Abu Qir Bay

26 July 2021

26 July 2021

According to a press release by the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the Egyptian French archaeological mission of the...

Polish archaeologists discovered new petroglyphs dating back to the 3rd century in Colorado

14 December 2023

14 December 2023

Archaeologists from the Jagiellonian University, southern Poland, have made a significant discovery of ancient indigenous paintings and carvings in the...