Mysterious pig statue discovered in the heart of ancient city of Crete, Greece

A pig statue unearthed from ancient Gortyna is causing archaeologists to speculate about ancient beliefs, rituals and mysterious cultures.

The ancient statue was discovered during an excavation by an interdisciplinary team of archaeologists and topographers from July 14 to August 9, 2025, in the ancient city of Gortyna in Crete. Photo: Scuola Archaeologica Italiana di Atene/Facebook.

In this archaeological project, researchers used cutting-edge methods to examine the construction techniques behind the well-preserved streets of Gortyna. At the same time, they studied and examined various artifacts that were unearthed that could help shed light on why these streets were eventually abandoned. Photo: Scuola Archaeologica Italiana di Atene/Facebook.

According to experts, the pig statue was found right along Gortyna's main street, the North Road. Therefore, they speculate that it was once located near the central avenue of this ancient city. Photo: Scuola Archaeologica Italiana di Atene/Facebook.

Finding a sculpture of a pig the size of a real animal is considered very rare by experts. Because most statues depict people instead of animals. Photo: Shutterstock.

The research team believes that the pig statue above may be a combination of Greek culture with other neighboring Mediterranean cultures during this period. Photo: athina-residence.com.

Experts believe that further study of the pig statue could provide more information about the symbolic role and practical function that similar artworks may have had in Gortyna – one of the most powerful cities in Crete for centuries. Photo: athina-residence.com.

Gortyna is believed to have been inhabited since 7000 BC. During the ancient period, from the Minoan to the Greek and Roman periods, Gortyna was an extremely powerful city in Crete, rivaling its famous neighbor, Knossos. Photo: athina-residence.com.

Despite being divided by civil wars during the Hellenistic period, specifically the 3rd century BC, Gortyna still had a prosperous economy and expanded its domination into neighboring areas while building important alliances with the Egyptians and Romans. Photo: creteinsider.com.

Thanks to its good relations with the Roman Empire, Gortyna was spared the devastation that many other cities in Crete suffered when Rome invaded. Gortyna later became the capital of Roman Crete and remained a center of power even after the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century AD. Photo: sunshinematala.com.

Experts say recent excavations at Gortyna, including the discovery of a rare pig figurine, are providing further details about the religious and cultural life of the site some 2,000 years ago. Photo: sunshinematala.com.

Readers are invited to watch the video : Revealing lost civilizations through archaeological remains.

Source: https://khoahocdoisong.vn/phat-hien-tuong-lon-ky-bi-trong-long-thanh-pho-co-crete-hy-lap-post2149060704.html