The Statue of Tyche, a marble work dating to the Roman Imperial period, depicts Tyche, the protective goddess of the city. Atop the goddess’s head rests a tall kalathos (basket) crown. Today, the piece is housed in the collection of the Istanbul Archaeological Museums. It stands out both as a visual example of the city-goddess cult and as a representative of sculpture production in Anatolia during the Roman period.
The Statue of Tyche, Istanbul Archaeological Museums (Photo: Nazlı Kemerkaya)
Provenance and Discovery
The statue was unearthed in 1931 at the ancient city of Prusias ad Hypium and subsequently entered the collection of the Istanbul Archaeological Museums. It was inventoried as part of the systematic collecting activities undertaken during the early years of the museum’s establishment and has since become one of the important works in the collection.
Description and Iconography
The Tyche statue is carved from marble and depicts the goddess standing frontally. Unlike traditional Tyche depictions, which feature a tower-shaped crown (corona muralis), this example bears a tall kalathos crown decorated with vegetal motifs. Her facial features are idealized, and her gaze is rendered in a static manner. She wears a long chiton (a fine, long tunic) and a himation (a heavy cloak draped over the shoulder). The folds of the garments are deeply carved, especially those descending along the torso, reflecting the sculptural technique of the time.
Her right arm extends sideways but is missing from the elbow down; traces suggest she originally held a ship’s rudder. In her left arm, she carries both a cornucopia and the child figure Ploutos, the symbol of wealth. This iconographic arrangement indicates that Tyche was associated not only with the protection of cities but also with fertility and prosperity. Ploutos is depicted holding fruit in his right hand while touching the goddess’s hair with his left. Traces of drill work can be observed in the details of the hair, crown, and garments.
The Statue of Tyche, Istanbul Archaeological Museums (Photo: Nazlı Kemerkaya)
According to ancient tradition, Tyche was considered one of the daughters of Oceanus, and every city was believed to have its own Tyche. The statue’s static frontal composition and symmetrical rendering are consistent with city-goddess depictions produced in Anatolia during the Roman Imperial period.
Condition
The Tyche statue is largely well-preserved. Although the marble surface shows signs of wear and minor fractures due to the passage of time, the overall integrity of the figure remains intact. The cornucopia and the figure of Ploutos carried on the left arm are also preserved to a great extent, with only some detail losses visible.
