Find in the Deep: They find part of the Temple of Zeus, which remains intact

There is an incredible amount of treasures in the depths of the sea, which are ready to be discovered by humans and analyzed to learn more about ancient civilizations.

This week, A team of archaeologists discovered a carved marble fragment belonging to the Temple of Zeus located in the ancient city of Agracas.. It was found on the coast of Sicily, Italy, and would have been the front decoration of a Doric structure.

The depths of the Mediterranean Sea contain evidence of past eras and the world's most important civilizations, making it a favorable location for archaeologists to search for fragments of history.

A few days ago, a team of archaeologists discovered a piece of marble that experts say is attributed to the Temple of Zeus in the ancient city of Agracas, now known as Agrigento.

The place is a magnificent Doric structure located in the Valley of the Temples. Thanks to its dimensions, 112 meters long and 56 meters wide, it is recognized as one of the largest Doric temples ever built.. It was commissioned by the tyrant Theron, ruler of the Greek colony of Acracas and much of western Sicily, after his victory at the Battle of Himera in 480 BC.

Regarding the fragment found this week in Sicily, It is the front part of the structure and belongs to the horse in a sprawling position, one of the most iconic elements of Greek artistic representation..

To achieve that, the BCSicilia sub-team, under the direction of engineer Gaetano Lino, discovered the potential element through optical observations last October. This week, we overcame weather challenges and successfully found this piece of history 300 meters off the Sicilian coast..

In a statement, those responsible for the discovery elaborate: “This is probably a marble front decoration belonging to the temple of Zeus, especially the creeping horse, an iconic element in the artistic representation of the Greek period.”

Divers from the Carabinieri Diving Unit and representatives of the Marine Watch, the Carabinieri Cultural Heritage Protection Unit and the BC Sicily Underwater Team worked on the find. The discovery was made at a depth of nine meters and was a piece of Proganesian marble (mined from the quarries of the Turkish island of Marmara) measuring 2 meters long and 1.6 meters high and 35 centimeters thick.

According to the Greek historian Diodorus Siculus, the Temple of Zeus was never completed due to the capture of Acragus in 406 BC. Over time, the temple suffered various damages due to earthquakes and even in the 17th century, construction materials were used. Build others in that area.

It should be noted that this discovery will provide new knowledge about the great construction of the 5th century BC, which has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.