An 1,800-year-old group of Asklepios statues was found at Aspendos

A 2.20-meter-high marble sculpture group depicting Asklepios, the god of medicine, together with his son and attendant Telesphorus, was discovered in the ancient city of Aspendos in Antalya. Dating to the final quarter of the Roman Imperial period, the work provides new insights into health cults in the ancient city.

Scraper SystemAugust 06, 2026, 11:14 PM

An 1,800-year-old group of Asklepios statues was found at Aspendos

Excavations in the ancient city of Aspendos in Antalya have uncovered a marble sculpture group depicting Asklepios, the god of medicine, together with his son and attendant Telesphorus. The approximately 1,800-year-old work was measured at 2.20 meters in height.

Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy announced the discovery on his social media account. Ersoy said the work was found during excavations carried out as part of the “Heritage for the Future” project and described the sculpture group as a symbol of healing.

The area where the sculpture group was found

The sculpture group was found among the remains belonging to the northern wing of the monumental gates on the western side of the East Square on Theater Street. This location indicates that the work may have been displayed in one of the city’s areas of public and ceremonial importance.

Dating to the final quarter of the Roman Imperial period, the work displays characteristics of sculpture from that era. These include the figures’ poses, the arrangement of the folds in the garment known as a himation, and the type of Asklepios’s face, as well as the workmanship of his hair and beard.

Aspendos'ta 1800 Yıllık Asklepios Heykel Grubu Bulundu » Aktüel Arkeoloji

The depiction of Asklepios and Telesphorus

At the center of the composition, Asklepios is depicted as a mature man facing forward, with long, thick hair and a beard. The figure’s weight rests on his left leg, while his right leg is slightly bent and extended forward and to the side.

Asklepios’s upper body is largely left bare, while the himation is draped over his left shoulder and rendered with numerous folds around his waist and legs. Telesphorus is shown at a smaller scale in front of Asklepios’s left foot and is distinguished by his long, hooded garment, which completely covers his body.

In antiquity, Asklepios was associated with treatment, healing and the preservation of health. Telesphorus, depicted in long, hooded garments, symbolized the completion of treatment, recovery and the period of convalescence after illness.

The sculpture group is considered a composition that reflects the process extending from the treatment of illness to a person’s complete recovery. The find provides archaeological evidence that contributes to understanding health cults, religious beliefs and social life in Aspendos during the Roman period.

An 1,800-year-old group of Asklepios statues was found at Aspendos