A Mysterious 1,800-year-old Roman Statue Unearthed During Car Park Construction Work in UK

A 1,800-year-old Roman marble statue of a woman’s head was discovered during construction in the parking lot of Burghley House near Stamford in Lincolnshire in the United Kingdom.

In April 2023, mechanical digger operator Greg Crawley discovered the head of a sculpture. He had uncovered a marble head, which experts have dated to the First or Second Century. Two weeks later the marble bust the head used to be attached to was found.

An iron dowel found in the marble head, which probably would have been added in the 18th Century, would have allowed it to be added to a bust or pedestal, experts said.

It was an adaptation often carried out by Italian antique dealers at the time to make excavated ancient relics more attractive to traveling aristocrats.

It is believed that it was during one of the ninth Earl’s two tours to Italy in the 1760s, when he purchased many antiquities, that he brought the sculpture back to Burghley.

The statue depicts “the features of a beautiful Roman lady,” officials said.

The house said it remained “a mystery” as to how the bust and marble head became buried. Explanations range from a bungled burglary to someone simply discarding the statue and it later being covered by soil.

It is also unclear how long it has remained hidden underground before being discovered in late April 2023 when the new car park was nearly complete.

Both items were immediately taken to Burghley’s Curator before being sent to a professional conservator who was able to carefully clean and consolidate the figure, revealing the features of a beautiful Roman lady, before reassembling both pieces as they had been intended.  The find was reported to the British Museum before they were reconstructed.

Additionally, the amazing discovery will be on display along with a description of its discovery and other sculptures that the ninth Earl bought when the House reopens for the 2024 season on March 16.

Cover Photo: Burghley House