Smiling Medusa carved on Roman stoa ceiling in Amastris, Turkey - unique artistic depiction. Found in ancient city of Amastris in Turkey during restoration of Roman covered walkway (stoa) Stoa featured towering marble Corinthian columns reaching 9 meters in height Medusa carving dates to approximately 2,300 years ago
👁️ Smiling Medusa discovered! Carving found on Roman stoa ceiling in Amastris, Turkey. Why this happy face?
Key facts:
- Found during excavation of a Roman monumental stoa
- Unusually cheerful depiction carved onto marble ceiling block
- Depicts Medusa with smile rather than typical frightening expression
- First known depiction of smiling Medusa in antiquity
Key Facts
- Found in ancient city of Amastris in Turkey during restoration of Roman covered walkway (stoa)
- Stoa featured towering marble Corinthian columns reaching 9 meters in height
- Medusa carving dates to approximately 2,300 years ago
- Depicts Medusa with smile rather than typical frightening expression with bared teeth
- First known depiction of smiling Medusa in antiquity
- City founded by Queen Amastris in late 4th century BCE
- Amastris was powerful Hellenistic ruler born into Persian nobility, educated in Greek culture
- She was niece of Persian king Darius III, wife of Dionis of Heraclea and later Lysimachus
- City established by uniting four coastal settlements along Black Sea
- At peak, Amastris housed tens of thousands of people
- Amastris was first queen to issue coins in her own name
- Prosperity and happiness may have inspired reinterpretation of frightening classical image
Related site: Amastris — view location, images, and history on the Ancient Nerds map.
Source: New Archaeology Discoveries: December 2025 by Inside Archaeology