BALIKESIR, TURKEY—The Anadolu Agency reports that a 2,400-year-old terracotta mask has been found in western Anatolia’s ancient city of Daskyleion. Archaeologist Kaan İren of Mugla Sitki Kocman University said the mask was unearthed in the city’s acropolis. “This is possibly a votive mask,” he explained. “More information will become available over time with more research.” The mask is thought to depict Dionysus, the Greek god of fertility and wine. Earlier this year, Iren’s team excavated a 2,700-year-old kitchen cellar in the acropolis. The researchers are now looking for seeds and other organic matter in the soil for clues to the city's cuisine. To read about a bronze mask of the god Pan that was unearthed in Israel, go to "Mask Metamorphosis."
