diff --git a/ethdb/database.go b/ethdb/database.go
index e665a84a61..3a1129b570 100644
--- a/ethdb/database.go
+++ b/ethdb/database.go
@@ -121,6 +121,9 @@ type AncientReaderOp interface {
 	//   - if maxBytes is not specified, 'count' items will be returned if they are present
 	AncientRange(kind string, start, count, maxBytes uint64) ([][]byte, error)
 
+	// AncientBytes retrieves a byte range [offset:offset+length] from the specified ancient item.
+	AncientBytes(kind string, number uint64, offset, length uint64) ([]byte, error)
+
 	// Ancients returns the ancient item numbers in the ancient store.
 	Ancients() (uint64, error)
 
diff --git a/ethdb/remotedb/remotedb.go b/ethdb/remotedb/remotedb.go
index 7fe154ea95..d58048ba58 100644
--- a/ethdb/remotedb/remotedb.go
+++ b/ethdb/remotedb/remotedb.go
@@ -140,6 +140,10 @@ func (db *Database) Close() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (db *Database) AncientBytes(kind string, item, offset, length uint64) ([]byte, error) {
+	panic("not supported")
+}
+
 func New(client *rpc.Client) ethdb.Database {
 	if client == nil {
 		return nil