Here’s what you’ll learn when you read this story:
- Archaeologists uncovering an ancient Roman forum in modern-day Turkey found a rather unique depiction of Medusa.
- The columned forum included ceiling tiles with a carved Medusa, but instead of a menacing face to go with her infamous snake-hair, these tiles depict her smiling.
- The more welcoming side of Medusa turns typical mythology upside down, with the smile likely designed to represent peace and prosperity.
Depictions of Medusa are typically at least a bit frightening, with her snakes for hair and menacing facial expressions. However, a carved Medusa image recently discovered by archaeologists at an ancient Roman forum offers a fresh take on the iconic character from Greek mythology—the team unearthed ceiling panels above marbled columns showing Medusa smiling like a child.
“Our Medusa was made just like an Eros, like the face of a very small child and in a smiling pose,” Fatma Bagdatli Cam, Bartin University professor, said according to Turkey Today.
Archaeologists discovered the distinct smiling Medusa during excavations in the ancient city of Amastris (now known as Amasra, and located in modern-day Turkey) while working through a monumental Roman forum with a columned gallery and ceiling tiles. As part of Turkey’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism’s Heritage for the Future project, in conjunction with the university’s Archaeology Application and Research Center, a 30,000-square-foot area has so far yielded marble columns up to 30 feet tall.
The research team is attempting to recreate the forum (also known as a Roman stoa), and has uncovered at least seven columns, additional architectural blocks, ceiling coffers, and evidence that a second stoa sits nearby. The discoveries have prompted experts to dub Amasra a city of splendor during Roman rule. The forum would have been at the heart of community interactions—everything from commerce to social interactions. Cam said that every artifact helps develop a clearer picture of common life and culture in Amasra during the Roman era.
The presence of a smiling Medusa, then, represents a stark contrast to expectations in more ways than one. With the character from Greek mythology known for her snakes for hair, sharp teeth, and a terrifying expression designed to turn onlookers into stone, images of Medusa were commonly used to scare would-be visitors. Serving as a deterrent, depictions would often be placed on architectural elements, decorative pieces within buildings, or even on shields.
The more welcoming side of Medusa seen at Amasra turns typical mythology upside down, with the smile instead designed to represent peace and prosperity, Cam said. The unique discovery also has the team excited for what other artifacts they may uncover at Amasra—past finds at the site include an Alexander the Great statue head, statues of a nymph, and multiple Lares statues from a regional Roman religion.
While looking to uncover more artifacts, work continues to recreate the Roman stoa—three of the columns have already been re-erected—and eventually open the site to visitors. “We are very excited,” Cam said. “We want the area to be brought to tourism as soon as possible, and we want domestic and foreign tourists to see and watch the ancient city gradually rise to its feet.”
Tim Newcomb is a journalist based in the Pacific Northwest. He covers stadiums, sneakers, gear, infrastructure, and more for a variety of publications, including Popular Mechanics. His favorite interviews have included sit-downs with Roger Federer in Switzerland, Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles, and Tinker Hatfield in Portland.
