A headless statue stands beside a trash bin near Thessaloniki, Greece. It’s not a decoration. Someone threw it away. It’s in a garbage bag! 

A local man discovered the marble statue. It measures about two and a half feet tall. 

The man turned the find over to local officials. In turn, they contacted archaeologists. The question: Just how important is this statue?

Turns out, it’s a real treasure. Experts say the find comes from the Hellenistic era. That period was between about 320 and 30 B.C. Art and culture flourished during that time. The statue is more than 2,000 years old!

Archaeologists continue to study the statue. In the meantime, police want answers. Who threw such a treasure away?

People often find ancient artifacts in Greece—especially when they’re digging or building. In December, workers were installing natural gas pipelines near Athens. They uncovered a Roman-era statue of the made-up god Hermes. (In mythology, Hermes is the messenger god.) It was buried upright in a brick-lined pit. 

The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. — Matthew 13:44