Archaeologists discover adorable ancient dolphin statue in Israel

Ancient dolphin statue
(Image credit: Twitter)

Pretty cute for 2,000 years old:

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Dated to around the first century AD, this marble dolphin turned up on a recent archaeological dig at Kibbutz Magen, Israel, near the Gaza Strip. It's about 16 inches high, munching a fish, and may once have adorned a larger statue of the ancient Roman god Neptune or goddess Venus, both of whom were frequently depicted with sea motifs. Although the archaeologists found it in the ruins of a Byzantine settlement, they believe it to be Roman. For more on the little guy, head over to The Times of Israel.

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Nico Lauricella

Nico Lauricella was editor-in-chief at TheWeek.com. He was formerly the site's deputy editor and an editor at The Huffington Post.