The evaluation of the Herakles statue in the inventory of the Hierapolis Archaeological Museum in the context of Conservation and Restoration

Heracles, an important figure brought to life by Greek mythology, has been given special significance in later periods as well, and his life struggles have been immortalized through various depictions as a mythological hero. From the Hellenistic Period onwards, depictions of Heracles and his myths were frequently used in figurative ceramics, tomb reliefs, steles, architectural reliefs, or independent sculptures. The Heracles statue registered in the inventory of the Hierapolis Archaeology Museum under the Denizli Museum Directorate is one of these depictions. Due to the unique depiction and posture characteristics of the statue, this research encompasses the archaeological evaluation of the statue, determining which of the Heracles statue depictions it conforms to, and providing preliminary data for the documentation work, which is the first step of restoration and conservation. For this purpose, the statue was recorded with photographs and videos, corrosion drawings were made to record the locations of the corrosion, the corrosion was detailed with microscope images, and the metal content was revealed through p-XRF analysis, all to assess the statue in terms of preservation and repair. In light of all this data, recommendations were made for the restoration and conservation of the Heracles statue, accepted within an international framework.