A rare Roman eagle in astoundingly good condition was recently discovered in London by archaeologists. The work is being called one of the best pieces of Romano-British art ever found. The sculpture, which depicts an eagle with a writhing snake in its beak, is made of Cotswold limestone and dates back to the late 1st century or 2nd century AD. The figure was found six weeks ago, encased in mud at the bottom of a ditch during a 10-day excavation of a former Roman cemetery.
Scholars are anxious to research the work, which will be on display at the Museum of London for the next six months. The only comparable discovery in London is a severely damaged bird found at a Roman villa site in Somerset in the 1920s.
Experts believe that the recently discovered sculpture would have been commissioned for the tomb of a wealthy or commanding Roman.
