JERUSALEM (VINnews) — An extraordinary archaeological discovery has been uncovered near Binyamina, where two marble statues of approximately 1,700 years old, depicting historical figures from the Greco-Roman world, were found inside a wine collection pit belonging to a Roman-Byzantine-era winepress.

The excavation is being conducted by the Israel Antiquities Authority as part of a project to expand the Coastal Railway line, led by Israel’s Ministry of Transportation and Israel Railways.

One of the statues bears a preserved Greek inscription with the name Lycurgus. According to the researchers, the figure may represent either Lycurgus, the legendary founder of Sparta, or Lycurgus of Athens, a statesman and orator from the fourth century BCE. However, research into the matter is still in its early stages.

“The statues date to the Roman period, and interestingly, they were not found in their original location,” excavation directors Eliran Oren and Avishag Reis explained. “They were discovered carefully placed face down inside a wine collection pit of a Roman-Byzantine winepress.”

According to the archaeologists, it is not yet known why the statues were buried there, though it is possible they were hidden for safekeeping.

Michael Sorotskin, an archaeologist with the Israel Antiquities Authority, said that workers noticed an unusual object protruding from the ground during the excavation.

“There was a feeling that we were about to discover something that shouldn’t have been there. Suddenly we realized it wasn’t pottery—it was marble. Then, little by little, the two statues emerged. I still struggle to find the words. It’s simply amazing.”

According to Peter Gendelman, an expert on the Caesarea region at the Authority, the discovery joins a series of portraits of historical figures previously found in the area. He noted that statues of this type were displayed during the Roman period in public buildings and elite residences, and may once have decorated a luxurious villa nearby.

Israel’s Minister of Heritage, Amichai Eliyahu, also commented on the discovery:

“This is the kind of find that demonstrates the power of archaeology to the public. One moment people are working on a modern infrastructure project, and the next a window opens into the lives and cultural world of those who lived here many centuries ago. The role of the State of Israel is to preserve these finds, study them, and make them accessible to the public so that everyone can encounter and appreciate the rich past of this land.”

The statues will now undergo cleaning, conservation, and further study. Researchers will attempt to determine with greater certainty the identities of the figures depicted and the precise context in which the statues were originally displayed in antiquity.

They will be presented to the public for the first time at the archaeological conference Bamerkaz VII, scheduled for June 18, 2026, at Eretz Israel Museum, and will later be exhibited to the general public during the summer months.