Professor Lyudmil Vagalinski's team has discovered the right hand of a statue of Heracles during excavations at the eastern end of the forum of Heraclea Sintica. The discovered hand shows the characteristic finger positioning associated with holding the club — an inseparable attribute of the mythical hero, Professor Vagalinski told BTA.

He recalled that several years ago, at the same site, the team uncovered the outlines of a building with a niche and two marble fragments — parts of a leg and a club. Back then, Professor Vagalinski suggested that it was likely a temple of Heracles, which is known to have existed in Heraclea Sintica.

Professor Vagalinski expressed hope that by the end of September this year, other important parts of the statue of Heracles will be found, especially its head.

Published and translated by Kostadin Atanasov

Photo: Archaeologia Bulgarica