Looks awfully nice for a 5th century sculpture that’s been underwater? Crimean Bridge Information Center

The Crimean Bridge Information Center has announced that, as part of its underwater excavations, it has found the giant terra-cotta head seen above.

The head of the underwater unit of the Russian Academy of Sciences says it’s “probably the image of an ancient Greek deity,” made in Asia minor in the 5th century B.C. It was found in Cape Ak-Burun and is a unique find for the northern coast of the Black Sea.

The Crimean Bridge project is a Russian effort to make Crimea a functional part of Russia, after the country forcibly took it over from Ukraine. As NPR reports:

After Russia seized Crimea, Ukraine blocked most road and rail traffic to the occupied region. There was no land connection to the Russian mainland, so goods had to be delivered by sea or air, driving up costs. The Russian tourists who are crucial to Crimea’s economy had to wait in long lines to ride a crowded ferry.

So, now Russia is building a bridge to connect Crimea to Russian tourists. The statue head may be part of a larger sculpture; all archaeological finds are going to the Eastern Crimean Historical and Cultural Museum and Reserve, according to TASS, the Russian news service.