Archaeologists have uncovered a rare statue of the Egyptian god Pataikos during ongoing excavations in the ancient city of Doliche, located in southeastern Türkiye.
The discovery, announced by the excavation team this week, sheds new light on the cultural and religious interactions between Anatolia and Egypt thousands of years ago. The finely crafted artifact depicts Pataikos, a protective dwarf god often associated with health, fertility, and safeguarding households in ancient Egyptian belief.
Experts say the statue’s presence in Doliche underscores the city’s significance as a crossroads of civilizations, where local traditions intertwined with foreign influences through trade and migration.
“Finding such a rare object here is a remarkable indicator of the deep connections between Anatolia and Egypt in antiquity,” said one of the lead archaeologists.
The statue will undergo conservation before being displayed at a regional museum, where it is expected to draw interest from scholars and visitors alike.
