A rare wooden sculpture of Hercules has been discovered in a refuse pit on the Spanish island of Ibiza.

In ancient times, Ibiza was known as Ebusus and became part of the Roman world after the fall of Carthage in 146 BC. Under Roman rule, Ebusus thrived as a prosperous port city, with its main harbour located where modern-day Ibiza Town (Eivissa) stands.

Recent excavations carried out for a housing development near Isidor Macabich Avenue uncovered a wooden sculpture of Hercules.

The sculpture was found inside what was originally a Roman grain silo, later repurposed as a garbage pit. Over time, rising groundwater filled the pit and created an oxygen-free (anaerobic) environment.

Such conditions prevent the growth of microorganisms that normally decompose organic material, allowing the sculpture to survive in a nearly perfect condition. According to experts, similar preservation has been seen in peat bogs in northern Europe, but it is extremely rare in the hot and humid climate of Ibiza.

Alongside the sculpture, archaeologists found ancient footwear, tools, and plant remains. All of these items have been transferred to the Archaeological Museum of Ibiza and Formentera (MAEF) for conservation.

Specialists are working to stabilize the sculpture by keeping the wood in a carefully controlled environment to prevent it from cracking or disintegrating. Archaeologist Juan José Marí Casanova said this process will take months.

Archaeologists also found fruit pits that will help them understand what kinds of horticulture existed in Ibiza at that time, according to Casanova. These finds are less spectacular than the Hercules statue, but from an archaeological point of view, they are very important, as they will help researchers reconstruct the island’s farming practices during Antiquity and the Middle Ages.