The more welcoming side of Medusa turns typical mythology upside down, with the smile likely designed to represent peace and prosperity.

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Archaeologists excavating an ancient Roman forum in what is now Turkey uncovered an unusual depiction of Medusa.
The columned forum featured ceiling panels carved with her image, but instead of a fearsome expression beneath her snake-like hair, Medusa is shown smiling.
This gentler portrayal challenges traditional mythology, with the smile likely symbolizing harmony and prosperity.

Medusa is typically portrayed as intimidating, defined by her serpentine hair and threatening gaze. However, a recently uncovered carving from an ancient Roman forum presents a strikingly different interpretation. Archaeologists found ceiling panels above marble columns depicting Medusa with a childlike smile.

“Our Medusa was fashioned much like Eros, with the face of a very young child and a smiling expression,” said Fatma Bağdatlı Çam, a professor at Bartın University, as quoted by Turkey Today.

The distinctive image was discovered during excavations in the ancient city of Amastris—modern-day Amasra—while researchers were uncovering a monumental Roman forum with a columned gallery and decorated ceiling tiles. The work forms part of Turkey’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism’s Heritage for the Future project, carried out in collaboration with the university’s Archaeology Application and Research Center. So far, excavations across a 30,000-square-foot area have revealed marble columns reaching heights of up to 30 feet.