A Roman statue, which is approximately 1,800-year-old, was found in the parking lot being built by construction workers in the United Kingdom.

The marble head of a Roman lady was excavated by the digger driver Greg Crawley at 16th-century country estate Burghley House in Peterborough, England, last year when he was carrying out the renovation works.

After two weeks, a bust was also discovered close to the place where the original Roman statue was found. A conservator cleaned, reassembled and examined the relics and said that the sculpture belonged to the 1st century or 2nd century.

Also Read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/archaeologists-hunting-for-cleopatras-tomb-unearth-geometric-miracle-tunnel-683789"> Tunnel found by archeologists looking for Cleopatra's tomb is a 'geometric miracle'</a>

As per the experts, an iron dowel was added to the statue which allowed it to remain attached to the pedestal or bust - following the pattern which was adopted by the Italian dealers historically in antiquities during the late 18th century when items were sold to the aristocrats travelling in Italy.

“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,” said the Burghley House, in a statement.

<h2>Estate calls excavation of head and bust as 'complete mystery'&nbsp;</h2>

The ninth Earl of Exeter Brownlow Cecil, an avid traveller and fine art collector, got the title in 1754, as per the estate.

The estate, however, is unsure how the head and bust remained buried in the soil in the parking and said that it is a “complete mystery.”

Burghley House emphasised that “explanations rang[e] from a bungled burglary to someone simply discarding the statue and it later being covered by soil.”

Watch:&nbsp;Archaeologists excavate mankind's earliest dated cave paintings

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Digger driver Crawley said that it was an “amazing feeling to have found something so old and special” and called the find his “best ever discovery.”

“I had a real shock as the digger bucket rolled over what I thought was a big stone to reveal a face,” said Crawley, in the Burghley House statement.

“I couldn’t believe it when they told me it was a Roman marble statue,” he said. The statue will be put on display along with other statues which have been collected by the ninth earl at Burghley House.

(With inputs from agencies)

A Roman statue, which is approximately 1,800-year-old, was found in the parking lot being built by construction workers in the United Kingdom. The marble head of a Roman lady was excavated by the digger driver Greg Crawley at 16th-century country estate Burghley House in Peterborough, England, last year when he was carrying out the renovation works.

A Roman statue, which is approximately 1,800-year-old, was found in the parking lot being built by construction workers in the United Kingdom. The marble head of a Roman lady was excavated by the digger driver Greg Crawley at 16th-century country estate Burghley House in Peterborough, England, last year when he was carrying out the renovation works. After two weeks, a bust was also discovered close to the place where the original Roman statue was found. A conservator cleaned, reassembled and examined the relics and said that the sculpture belonged to the 1st century or 2nd century. Also Read: Tunnel found by archeologists looking for Cleopatra's tomb is a 'geometric miracle' As per the experts, an iron dowel was added to the statue which allowed it to remain attached to the pedestal or bust - following the pattern which was adopted by the Italian dealers historically in antiquities during the late 18th century when items were sold to the aristocrats travelling in Italy. “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,” said the Burghley House, in a statement. Estate calls excavation of head and bust as 'complete mystery' The ninth Earl of Exeter Brownlow Cecil, an avid traveller and fine art collector, got the title in 1754, as per the estate. The estate, however, is unsure how the head and bust remained buried in the soil in the parking and said that it is a “complete mystery.” Burghley House emphasised that “explanations rang[e] from a bungled burglary to someone simply discarding the statue and it later being covered by soil.” Watch: Archaeologists excavate mankind's earliest dated cave paintings Digger driver Crawley said that it was an “amazing feeling to have found something so old and special” and called the find his “best ever discovery.” “I had a real shock as the digger bucket rolled over what I thought was a big stone to reveal a face,” said Crawley, in the Burghley House statement. “I couldn’t believe it when they told me it was a Roman marble statue,” he said. The statue will be put on display along with other statues which have been collected by the ninth earl at Burghley House. (With inputs from agencies)

Construction workers discover 1,800-year-old Roman statue in parking lot

Kim Kardashian found herself caught up in an unlikely international art smuggling row Tuesday involving an ancient Roman sculpture that was imported to California under her name.

US prosecutors last week called for the statue fragment -- which was seized at a Los Angeles port in 2016 -- to be forfeited and returned to Italy, citing an Italian archaeologist who found it saying the piece had been "looted, smuggled and illegally exported."

Court documents said the consignee and importer name was listed as "'Kim Kardashian dba Noel Roberts Trust' in Woodland Hills, California" and referred to an invoice "for the sale of the defendant statue by Vervoordt to Noel Robert Trust, dated March 11, 2016."

The Noel Roberts Trust is an entity linked to real estate purchases and sales made by Kardashian and her estranged husband Kanye West in the United States.&nbsp;

Axel Vervoordt is a Belgian art dealer who was responsible for the decoration of Kardashian's mansion near Los Angeles, according to the Artnet News website.

But a spokeswoman for Kardashian on Tuesday dismissed US media reports tying the reality star to the statue, telling AFP they did not contain "accurate information."

The statue itself -- referred to as "Fragment of Myron Samian Athena" -- is thought to date to the early- to mid-Roman Empire, and depicts a person's lower half.

The Italian archaeologist who studied the statue declared it "of classical Peplophoros style... which represents a copy of an original Greek sculpture."

It was seized at the Los Angeles port in May 2016 as part of a larger 5.5-ton (5,000 kg) shipment worth $745,000, on suspicion it could be "protected cultural property from Italy" in violation of a law requiring proper documentation for importing rare archaeological items.

Deepening the mystery, prosecutors said the invoice provided to them by the customs broker for the fragment's previous 2012 sale to Vervoordt by a gallery in Paris appeared to refer to a different statue entirely.

Kim Kardashian found herself caught up in an unlikely international art smuggling row Tuesday involving an ancient Roman sculpture that was imported to California under her name.

Kim Kardashian found herself caught up in an unlikely international art smuggling row Tuesday involving an ancient Roman sculpture that was imported to California under her name. US prosecutors last week called for the statue fragment -- which was seized at a Los Angeles port in 2016 -- to be forfeited and returned to Italy, citing an Italian archaeologist who found it saying the piece had been "looted, smuggled and illegally exported." Court documents said the consignee and importer name was listed as "'Kim Kardashian dba Noel Roberts Trust' in Woodland Hills, California" and referred to an invoice "for the sale of the defendant statue by Vervoordt to Noel Robert Trust, dated March 11, 2016." The Noel Roberts Trust is an entity linked to real estate purchases and sales made by Kardashian and her estranged husband Kanye West in the United States. Axel Vervoordt is a Belgian art dealer who was responsible for the decoration of Kardashian's mansion near Los Angeles, according to the Artnet News website. But a spokeswoman for Kardashian on Tuesday dismissed US media reports tying the reality star to the statue, telling AFP they did not contain "accurate information." The statue itself -- referred to as "Fragment of Myron Samian Athena" -- is thought to date to the early- to mid-Roman Empire, and depicts a person's lower half. The Italian archaeologist who studied the statue declared it "of classical Peplophoros style... which represents a copy of an original Greek sculpture." It was seized at the Los Angeles port in May 2016 as part of a larger 5.5-ton (5,000 kg) shipment worth $745,000, on suspicion it could be "protected cultural property from Italy" in violation of a law requiring proper documentation for importing rare archaeological items. Deepening the mystery, prosecutors said the invoice provided to them by the customs broker for the fragment's previous 2012 sale to Vervoordt by a gallery in Paris appeared to refer to a different statue entirely.

Kim Kardashian caught up in ancient Roman statue smuggling row

An ancient Roman sculpture stolen more than a decade ago has been recovered after two off-duty officers spotted it in an antiques shop in Brussels, Italian police said Tuesday.

The "Togatus" marble piece, a full-body, headless 1st century statue of a toga-wearing man, was looted in 2011 from a villa in Rome, the art squad unit of the Carabinieri police said in a statement.&nbsp;

The two officers saw it while walking around the Belgian capital's upmarket Sablon district, known for its antiques and vintage furniture shops, and became "suspicious," police said.

Their hunch was confirmed upon their return to Rome: checking police files on stolen art pieces, they saw that the statue they had spotted was the same as one that had gone missing.

The sculpture, worth around 100,000 euros ($119,000), was confiscated with the help of Belgian authorities and shipped back to Italy in February, police said.&nbsp;

After follow-up investigations, an Italian art dealer who operated under a Spanish false name was charged with possession of stolen goods and exporting the statue illegally.

An ancient Roman sculpture stolen more than a decade ago has been recovered after two off-duty officers spotted it in an antiques shop in Brussels, Italian police said Tuesday.

An ancient Roman sculpture stolen more than a decade ago has been recovered after two off-duty officers spotted it in an antiques shop in Brussels, Italian police said Tuesday. The "Togatus" marble piece, a full-body, headless 1st century statue of a toga-wearing man, was looted in 2011 from a villa in Rome, the art squad unit of the Carabinieri police said in a statement. The two officers saw it while walking around the Belgian capital's upmarket Sablon district, known for its antiques and vintage furniture shops, and became "suspicious," police said. Their hunch was confirmed upon their return to Rome: checking police files on stolen art pieces, they saw that the statue they had spotted was the same as one that had gone missing. The sculpture, worth around 100,000 euros ($119,000), was confiscated with the help of Belgian authorities and shipped back to Italy in February, police said. After follow-up investigations, an Italian art dealer who operated under a Spanish false name was charged with possession of stolen goods and exporting the statue illegally.

Stolen ancient Roman statue found in Brussels antiques shop

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Construction workers discover 1,800-year-old Roman statue in parking lot

Kim Kardashian caught up in ancient Roman statue smuggling row

Stolen ancient Roman statue found in Brussels antiques shop