1,900 years old but so pristine it could have been carved just yesterday: Breathtaking Roman sculpture of eagle devouring a serpent is plucked from the London earth.
Michael Marshall, finds specialist at Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA), told MailOnline there are many candidates to whom the tomb might have belonged as there was an influx of wealthy Romans living in Briton at the time who were officials, merchants and army officers.
The sculpture was probably chosen to please the god Jupiter and depict the triumph of good over death and evil, but it was also a way for wealthy families to show off and commemorate the dead, he said.
The item could also have played a protective role if the person was a member of the ‘cult of Jupiter’ which was incredibly popular at the time, Mr Marshall added.
Such a statue, that depicts the symbol of the god could ‘help ensure the person was safe after death,’ he said.
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2478904/Roman-sculpture-eagle-devouring-serpent-unearthed-London.html?ITO=bookmark-chromeext&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=bookmark-chromeext
