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A relief-carved stone slab, stele, or stela (an upright stone used in antiquity for inscriptions or images), was uncovered during landscaping in the Ismailler neighborhood of Cal district, Denizli, Türkiye.
The piece shows a mounted soldier and bears the words “Apollo’s son, soldier,” and was taken in for examination by the Denizli Museum Directorate.
During routine improvements by the Denizli Metropolitan Municipality Parks and Gardens Directorate, crews spotted the carved stone in fill soil and reported it.
Municipal police and local police arrived, initial checks were made, and the museum was notified. An expert team then transferred the artifact to the museum for analysis.
Officials identified the relief as depicting a soldier on horseback along with the phrase “Apollo’s son, soldier.”
The fill soil in which it was found was said to have been brought from Cal’s Kumral area about 10 years ago.
Cal Mayor Ahmet Hakan said the find emerged during a park arrangement and that teams promptly informed the authorities, ensuring the stela’s safe delivery to the museum.
He thanked the municipal staff for their effort.
“Cal is rich in history, and we believe this find will shed light on our past,” Hakan said.
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