31 October 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Two statuettes of Demeter discovered in Aigai, the ‘city of goats’ of the Aeolians in western Türkiye

Two statuettes of Demeter, the Greek goddess of earth and fertility, were discovered in a cistern in the ancient city of Aigai in western Türkiye’s Manisa.

Aigai, also Aigaiai was an ancient Greek, later Roman, city, and bishopric in Aeolis. Aegae is mentioned by both Herodotus and Strabo as being a member of the Aeolian dodecapolis.

It was also an important sanctuary of Apollo. Aigai had its brightest period under the Attalid dynasty, which ruled from nearby Pergamon in the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC. The remains of the city are located near the modern village Yuntdağı Köseler of Manisa Province, Turkey.

The excavation team, led by Professor Yusuf Sezgin, head of the archaeology department at Manisa Celal Bayar University, is actively working in Aigai.

Sezgin, who found a cistern near the road to the “sanctuary of Athena” in the city, said that they made some unexpected discoveries during the excavation.



📣 Our WhatsApp channel is now LIVE! Stay up-to-date with the latest news and updates, just click here to follow us on WhatsApp and never miss a thing!!



Photo: AA

“The cistern we excavated this year is quite different from others in both its form and the artifacts found within. For example, we discovered a figurine specially placed under what we call the “cistern bracelet,” a recess at the entrance of the cistern. Normally, we don’t find such figurines inside cisterns. This one, specifically placed or laid there, depicts the goddess, Demeter, as we know from Greek mythology.”

“Another interesting point is that this wasn’t the only Demeter figurine; we found another one inside the cistern, also shown in the same posture. The third discovery, which might not be very clear because it’s broken, is a piece of a decorated vase. On its fragments are sheaves of wheat, which we know are associated with the goddess Demeter,” he added.

Sezgin also shared: “Demeter was the goddess of agriculture. She was the one who provided the earth’s fertility and productivity. At the same time, she was the protector of plants. In rural ancient cities like Aigai, she was one of the most important goddesses. Considering how difficult it was to farm on rural land, Demeter was given significant importance. In this regard, there was a very strong cult of Demeter in Aigai.”

Yusuf Sezgin, head of the archaeology department at Manisa Celal Bayar University, states recent discoveries in the ancient city of Aigai. Photo: AA Photo
Yusuf Sezgin, head of the archaeology department at Manisa Celal Bayar University, states recent discoveries in the ancient city of Aigai. Photo: AA Photo

Special festivals and rituals for gods and goddesses were common in ancient times. Archaeologists recently discovered a cistern about 50-60 meters away from the Atena sanctuary in Aigai. This cistern might have been used for these rituals.

The cistern’s proximity to the sacred area suggests it may be associated with Demeter festivals. This cistern is unique in that more figurines were discovered inside than in any other cistern.

Cover Photo: AA

Related Articles

Rare 832 copper coins from the Portuguese era unearthed in Goa, India

11 November 2023

11 November 2023

In Sattari, Nanoda, in the state of Goa on the west coast of India, 832 copper coins that are believed...

5,000-Year-Old Tombs Discovered in Ibri Reveal Ancient Oman–Mesopotamia Link

21 August 2025

21 August 2025

Oman’s Ministry of Heritage and Tourism has announced a remarkable discovery in the Al-Sabikhi area of the Wilayat of Ibri,...

The Lost Georgian King: Archaeologists Discover the Tomb of Ashot the Great Beneath Gevhernik Fortress

8 October 2025

8 October 2025

High in the misty mountains of northeastern Türkiye, where emerald valleys carve through the rugged Artvin landscape, an ancient fortress...

Well-Preserved Funerary Enclosures, Mausoleums, and Gladiator Epitaph Discovered in Ancient Roman Colony of Liternum, Italy

22 March 2025

22 March 2025

Recent archaeological excavations in the ancient Roman colony of Liternum, located in present-day Giugliano in Campania, Italy, have unveiled significant...

Archaeologists Discover Rare Boundary Stone From the Tetrarchy Period of the Roman Empire Contains Two Unknown Place Names

21 January 2025

21 January 2025

In northern Galilee, excavations at Tel Avel Beit Ma’akha, about 1.2 miles south of Metula, have produced a remarkable find:...

An unexpected shipwreck was unearthed at the Tallinn construction site

18 April 2022

18 April 2022

During the construction of the office building on Lootsi Street in Tallinn, Estonia’s capital on the Baltic Sea, a shipwreck...

Storms uncover precious marble cargo from a 1,800-year-old Mediterranean shipwreck in Israel

15 May 2023

15 May 2023

Numerous rare marble artifacts have been found at the site of a 1,800-year-old shipwreck in shallow waters just 200 meters...

Tajik Buddha in Nirvana – the Largest in the World: 42 feet long and 9 feet high

31 December 2023

31 December 2023

In the past, while Taliban soldiers in Afghanistan destroyed two immense statues of Buddha, art historians in neighboring Tajikistan meticulously...

Roman-Era Sarcophagus Discovered on Varna Beach one of Bulgaria’s Most Popular Tourist Destinations

26 July 2024

26 July 2024

An ancient sarcophagus from the Roman era was discovered by chance on the beach near the resort of Saints Constantine...

The latest discovery at the villa Civita Giuliana, north of Pompeii, the remains of a slave room

7 November 2021

7 November 2021

Ella IDE Pompeii archaeologists announced Saturday the discovery of the remnants of a “slave room” in an exceedingly unusual find...

A relief of a man holding his Phallus was found in Sayburç, one of the Taş Tepeler

18 October 2021

18 October 2021

In Sayburç, one of the Taş Tepeler in Şanlıurfa, a five-figure scene consisting of humans, leopards, and a bull was...

New Discoveries of Sanxingdui Ancient City to be Announced

19 March 2021

19 March 2021

Sanxingdui, which literally means “Stacks of Three Stars”, is a cultural relic of the Kingdom of Shu in ancient China....

Early Imperial cemetery in Nîmes, in the south of France

4 October 2022

4 October 2022

Inrap archaeologists excavating at Nîmes in southern France have uncovered a cemetery dating to the first to second centuries AD...

A submerged stone bridge constructed 5600 years ago shed light on the human colonization of the western Mediterranean

31 August 2024

31 August 2024

An interdisciplinary research team, led by University of South Florida (USF) geology Professor Bogdan Onac, has examined an ancient submerged...

Alexander the Great’s Bathroom Discovered at Greece’s Aigai Palace

11 May 2024

11 May 2024

Archaeologists say to have unearthed Alexander the Great’s bathroom at the Aigai Palace in northern Greece. The vast Aigai palace,...