Bronze Heracles Statues from Niğde Museum Heracles Epitrapezios and Heracles

English (OpenAlex)

Two bronze Heracles statuettes in Niğde Archeology Museum are the subject of our study. One of the artifacts, Heracles Epitrapezios statuette, was unearthed as a result of illegal excavation and later brought to the museum and the other one, Heracles Albertini/Pitti statuette, was found in Tepebağları Höyük and is now being exhibited in the same museum. Examining the works in the inventory of the museum, making the necessary studies, and turning them into scientific publications will make important contributions to understanding the social, cultural and belief structure of the city in the Roman Imperial Period. The data obtained from archaeological studies conducted in Niğde have shown that some changes occurred in the context of belief and cult region with the Hellenistic Period. Region god-goddess cults such as Argaios, Serapis, Helios, Apollo, Ahura Mazda, Anaitis, Tykhe were seen in this period. The earliest data on the cult of Heracles as an epigraphic find is the inscription found in Tyana. The inscription dated to the 2nd century BC mentions the games held in the honor of Hermes and Heracles. Heracles evolved as a hero; but later on, he continued both together, carrying the divine feature within him. Due to these features, different features and qualities are encountered in various places. Among the Greek heroes, Heracles comes to the fore. Some distinctive iconographic features of Heracles can be seen in the two works in the museum, wich are the subject of this study. Statuettes were evaluated iconographically, typologically, and stylistically. As a result of stylistic evaluations, Heracles Epitrapezios statuette dates back to the third quarter of the 2nd century AD; Heracles Albertini/Pitti statuette is dated to the first half of the 1st century AD.