A priceless ancient Roman statue, missing from the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli since the 1930s, has been found in the middle of a flower bed on a housing estate in Fuorigrotta, Naples.
The white marble, headless sculpture of an emperor dates from the Nervan-Antonian era of the second century AD.
Experts think that it was part of a larger monument.
It is thought that the statue was stolen in the 1930s and used to decorate the courtyard of a smart, private residence. However, police failed to find it before it disappeared from there, too. They think that the statue was probably found by construction workers when the estate was being built and put in the flower bed by them.
The Carabinieri of the Naples Culture Department who located the statue last week are relieved as the Camorra [Neapolitan mafia] were also on its trail.
Now the statue is back in the Museum and is in the hands of restorers, who say that it has been damaged by being outside for so long. Once restored, it will probably be displayed.
We’re off to check our flower beds.
Have you ever found a treasure in your garden?
