Cybele statue takes its place in Afyonkarahisar Museum
The statue, which was smuggled from Turkey to Israel in the 1960s and sold, and then brought to Turkey from the USA on December 13, 2020, is among the most desired artifacts to be seen in the museum where it is exhibited. Afyonkarahisar Museum Director Mehmet Garipcin:
– “In our first year, we reached 60,000 visitors, most of whom are particularly interested in the Cybele statue. People are proud when they learn that it has been returned from abroad.”
AFYONKARAHİSAR (AA) – ARİF YAVUZ – The statue of the “mother goddess” Cybele made of marble, believed to be the symbol and protector of abundance and fertility in prehistoric times, attracts visitors to the Afyonkarahisar Museum.
Afyonkarahisar Museum takes its visitors on a journey of history with the artifacts inside.
In the museum, which has 50 thousand artifacts from the prehistoric period to the present, the Cybele statue has been exhibited in a glass showcase in a special compartment called “Magna Mater” for 1.5 years.
The statue of the mother goddess, who sits on a high-backed throne with her crown, holds a bowl in her right hand, while there are lions on either side of her feet. On the lower pedestal of the throne is the inscription “Asclepiades of Siderapolis, son of Hermeios, erected the offering to the twelve mother gods”.
Since its opening, 93 thousand local and foreign tourists have visited the museum to see the statue of Cybele, which dates back to the Roman period.
– “This statue shows the importance our country attaches to cultural assets”
Afyonkarahisar Museum Director Mehmet Garipcin told AA correspondent that Cybele, who is associated with abundance and fertility, has attracted attention in Anatolia and the Mediterranean geography since ancient times.
Stating that the Cybele statue is exhibited in the new Afyonkarahisar Museum, which was opened by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in April 2023, Garipcin said, “The statue attracts great interest from visitors. In our first year, we reached 60 thousand visitors. Most of these visitors are particularly interested in and examine the Cybele Statue. People are proud when they learn that it has been returned from abroad. This sculpture shows the importance our country attaches to cultural assets.”
– “The visual of the statue is very impressive”
Beyza Bozot, one of the visitors, stated that it was a great pride that the Cybele statue was brought back to its homeland after being kidnapped.
Noting that she had the opportunity to examine the statue at the museum, Bozot said, “The visuals of the statue are very impressive. The work makes you feel the spirit of that period. Like the Cybele statue, there are many beautiful artifacts in the Afyonkarahisar Museum. I recommend everyone to visit and see the museum.”
Kardelen Başpınar, one of the visitors, stated that the Cybele statue was made with beautiful details in its period and that it made her proud like everyone else to be brought back to her homeland.
The statue, which was smuggled from Turkey to Israel in the 1960s and sold, then brought to Turkey from the United States on December 13, 2020, was brought to Afyonkarahisar on December 24, 2021 after being exhibited for a while at the Istanbul Archaeological Museums.
