A 2.20-meter-high marble statue group depicting the god of health Asklepios and his son Telesphorus together was discovered during archaeological excavations in the ancient city of Aspendos in the Antalya province of Turkey.
Global Art reports, the statue group, which was uncovered as part of the "Legacy for the Future" project implemented in Turkey and dates back to the Roman Empire, was found among the remains of the northern wing of the Monumental Gate in the East Square on Theater Street. The work, which dates back to the last quarter of the 2nd century AD, attracts attention with its artistic features and iconographic structure.
Making a statement in this regard, Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said that the find provides important scientific information about health cults, religious beliefs and urban life in Aspendos.
According to archaeologists, Asklepios symbolizes treatment and protection of health, while Telesphorus symbolizes the stage of recovery and rehabilitation. The depiction of both figures in the same composition shows that the concept of healing was expressed holistically in antiquity.
