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Bronze Mask of Pan Discovered Near Sea of Galilee

Archeologists at Hippos-Sussita near the Sea of Galilee in Israel have located a bronze mask of Pan, the half-goat Greek god of legend.

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At the historic Greco-Roman site Hippos-Sussita, archaeologists were on an unusual winter dig – most excavations take place in the summer – looking for coins to help date other recent finds at the site. What they found was much bigger than a coin. Archeologists uncovered a human-sized bronze mask of Pan, the half-human, half-goat god of shepherds and friend of the various nymphs in Greek mythology.

The Bronze Mask of Pan: A Unexpected Find

Bronze Mask of Pan discovered Sci-News

The Bronze Mask of Pan uncovered

At first the researchers weren’t sure who the mask depicted until they uncovered a pair of small forehead horn and a goat-like beard characteristic of the Greek god.

Though Hippos-Sussita is located on a rise above the Sea of Galilee, the city Banyan, slightly north of the dig site, contained a famously known temple to the god Pan who main altar was inside a cave.

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The researchers postulate that the heavy-mask may have been associated with a roadside altar affiliated with the cave-temple.

Hippos-Sussita was one of ten cities that comprise the Decopolis – a region of predominantly Greek culture. (Image Credit: Hippos-Sussita Excavation Project.)

The archaeological group responsible for the discovery is affiliated with the University of Haifa.

Write to Kristen E. Strubberg at kstrubberg@tgnreview.com

Sources: ”Archeologists Find Rare Bronze Mask of Pan” Sci-News.

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Kristen E. Strubberg is the Editor-in-Chief for TGNR. Kristen founded TGNR in 2013 - seeking to create a high quality platform for original, eclectic and substantive positive news journalism by attracting expert contributors in many varying subjects. Kristen also works as a clinical medical researcher in Cardiology, with an original background in Neuroscience. Her passion for science has translated to her science-fiction specialization, with her highly adept published insights into the best of sci-fi’s popular culture. Kristen has served as TGNR’s Editor-in-Chief since 2013.

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