In a momentous archaeological find, the statue known as the “Dancing Moses,” an intriguing figure from ancient mythology, has been unearthed in the ancient city of Stratonikeia in Turkey after 2,175 years. This remarkable discovery, announced by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, represents the emergence of the sole original piece from the Hellenistic period attributed to the renowned sculptor Philiskos, who crafted this masterpiece in the second century BCE.

The “Dancing Moses” is historically recognized as one of the muses born from the union of Zeus and Mnemosyne, with its original creation credited to Philiskos. Philiskos, a figure shrouded in mystery from the Hellenistic Period, was renowned for his expertise in bronze sculpture, particularly in crafting statues and sculptures depicting athletes and gods.

While numerous reproductions of the statue from the Roman period can be found across Anatolia and Greece, the recently discovered statue from Stratonikeia stands out as the only authentic work by Philiskos from the Hellenistic era. This discovery holds significant importance for archaeologists as it confirms Philiskos’s artistic influence within the ancient city during this crucial period.

The excavation within the frigidarium of the Roman bath in Stratonikeia led to the retrieval of the statue and its pedestal, although the head and arms were notably absent. However, the incomplete state of the statue does not diminish the significance of the find. Previously, replicas of this revered statue had been discovered in the Roman baths of the ancient city of Perge and on the island of Rhodes.