Ancient stone featuring Heracles, Apollo discovered in Apollonia

TIRANA, Aug. 15 – A joint Albanian-French expedition has discovered a rare carved stone in small dimensions featuring mythological motifs in the archaeological park of Apollonia, southwestern Albania. Archeologists say the finding is testimony to the high level of Illyrian civilization and development.
“The special thing about the discovery is that it is a high quality creation on stone where a scene from the Greek mythology on the background is featured. Maybe it’s the only stone relief that has been found,” said Jean-Luc Lamboleu, the French director of the expedition. “The stone shows a well-known mythological scene featuring Heracles with a mace and Apollo with an arch,” says the French archaeologist, adding that Greek mythology and culture was well known in Apollonia.
The item of small dimensions will be added to the collection in the newly opened archaeological museum of Apollonia.
The French-Albanian expedition has earlier discovered a giant promenade and two busts featuring a Roman athlete and an aristocratic woman.
Closed down on safety grounds in the early 90s, the museum of Apollonia, the second biggest archeological park in Albania after Butrint, reopened its doors last December after 20 years. Restored under UN and UNESCO assistance, the reopened museum in the southwestern district of Fier, features 750 archeological items and ancient coin treasuries, displayed in a 1,000 m2 area, previously stored in the Archeology Institute of Tirana.
Excavations in the Apollonia park began during World War I by Austrian archaeologists. The process continues as it is believed that most of the city is still deep below Apollonia’s hills.
Established in the 7th century B.C., by Greek settlers, the ancient city of Apollonia is located 11 km to the west of the modern city of Fier.
Among the most interesting monuments worth visiting are the Bouleterion (city council), the library, the triumphal arch, the temple of Artemis, the Odeon built in the 2nd century B.C., the two-storey 77 m long Stoa, a theater with a capacity 10000 spectators, and the Nymphaeum, a monumental water fountain covering an area of 2000m2.