Snake Altar Unearthed in Turkey

News October 20, 2020

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ANTALYA, TURKEY—Yeni Şafak reports that a marble altar encircled with a coiled snake carved in relief has been unearthed at the ancient city of Patara in southern Turkey. Estimated to be more than 2,000 years old, the altar was found near the city walls and a public bath. “Similar discoveries were made in some ancient cities in Muğla but this is the first time such a discovery has been made in Patara,” said Mustafa Koçak of Antalya Bilim University. “This altar depicts the relations of people in Patara with the outside world,” he added. To read about a Bronze Age settlement in southeastern Turkey that was suddenly destroyed more than 3,500 years ago, go to "The Wrath of the Hittites."

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