Archaeologists Uncover Extremely Rare Preserved Statue of Greek Hero in Trash

Archaeologists have rescued an extremely rare wooden sculpture of Hercules from a trash pile in Ibiza, Spain, reported Heritage Daily.

Climate Enforced Stunning Preservation

The discovery was made during construction of a future housing development in Ibiza, which is located upon the site of a former Roman grain silo. The sculpture remained remarkably well-preserved thanks to Spain’s warmer-than-usual climate, having spent centuries immersed in a pit which slowly filled with groundwater, which created an oxygen-free environment and essentially stopped the artifact’s degradation. This sort of preservation is usually only seen in European swamps and is particularly unheard of in Spain.

Plants, Shoes, and Tools Also Unearthed

Buried alongside the wooden statue were several artifacts, including tools, plants, and ancient shoes. All of the artifacts have been handed over to the Archaeological Museum of Ibiza and Formentera (MAEF), where they will undergo preservation efforts. In the case of the statue, the preservation will last for months. It’s currently in the first stage of the process, with experts stabilizing the structure in a highly controlled environment to prevent any future degradation.

Alongside the statue, the plants and other organic materials collected at the site promise to shed light on the daily lives of Romans in Ibiza. The botanical remains will allow experts to recreate the ecology of the island which will illuminate commerce practices in the port city. "We also found fruit pits that will give us insight into Ibiza's horticulture during that period," process archaeologist Juan José Mar Casanova explained. "It's less spectacular than the Hercules statue, but archaeologically it's very interesting."