A Roman statue dating back 1,800 years has recently been discovered by construction workers working on a parking lot in England.
During the renovation of the grounds of the 16th-century estate known as Burghley House in Peterborough, England, Greg Crawley, the excavator operator, uncovered a marble head depicting a Roman woman at the site.
This statue is part of the collection of the Earl of Exeter, Brownlow Cecil, at Burghley House. (Photo: Athens News)
Two weeks later, nearby, a bust was also discovered and identified as dating from the 1st or 2nd century after being cleaned and examined by experts.
Experts noted that a metal pin had been added to the statue, allowing it to be attached to the bust or pedestal—a modification often made by Italian antique dealers in the late 18th century when selling items to noble travelers in Italy.
According to a statement from Burghley House, there are rumors that during one of his two trips to Italy in the 1760s, the 9th Earl of Exeter, Brownlow Cecil, purchased several antiques and brought the sculptures back to Burghley House. Mr. Cecil was known for his passion for travel and collecting art.
Greg Crawley, the excavator operator, found the head of the statue at the parking lot site. (Photo: CNN).
However, the reason why the head and bust were buried in the grounds to be transformed into a parking lot remains a mystery. The family is unsure of the exact cause, with many speculating it could have been from a careless theft or simply that someone discarded the statue, leading to it being covered by earth.
Greg Crawley, the excavator operator, described this discovery as “a fantastic feeling” and called it “the most amazing find ever.”
Mr. Crawley said: “I was genuinely shocked when the bucket rolled over what I thought was a large rock and revealed the face.”
“When they told me it was a Roman marble statue, I couldn’t believe it,” he added.
The statue will be displayed alongside other collected works of the Earl of Brownlow Cecil at Burghley House, England.
