• r2-266-10
    Unfinished Herakles, front view. (©Archaeological Exploration of Sardis/President and Fellows of Harvard College)
  • r2-266-20
    Unfinished Herakles, back view. (©Archaeological Exploration of Sardis/President and Fellows of Harvard College)

Unfinished Herakles

Date
Date unascertainable, Roman
Sardis or Museum Inv. No.
NoEx62.028
Material
Marble, Stone
Object Type
Sculpture
Sculpture Type
Mythological Figure
Site
Gölde
Findspot
From house foundation in village of Gölde near Kula.
Description

The unfinished standing frontal male holds his r. arm, bent upwards at the elbow, away from his body. The l. arm is not clear but the vertical, undulating band along the l. side may be a club (therefore, figure thought to be Herakles). The head and hair in broad ringlets at the sides, are roughly shaped. The male genitals are roughly outlined.

On the back side are two central, vertical projections which extend from neck to back of thighs (L. 0.42). The whole piece is rough picked with deep chisel marks going more or less in the same direction, especially over his r. arm. R. side of waist, buttocks, and l. side of head are cut out in the round; the stone block is not yet cut away between legs, at l. edge, or beside r. upper arm and head. Pointed chisel marks are ca. 0.015-0.02 m. apart. There is no evidence of drilling.

The piece was clearly made locally. The date is unknown but unlikely to be later than 3rd C. A.D.

Condition
Yellow-streaked white marble, with thick incrustation. Block broken off bellow r. thigh, left knee.
Dimensions
H. 0.80, of head 0.5; overall W. 0.39, of waist 0.15; Th. at belly 0.175, at head 0.13.
Comments
See Also
Bibliography
Published: Hanfmann, Croesus, 58f. and n. 7.
Author
NHR