A seemingly dull marble slab, used for 10 years as a springboard in an English garden, is actually a rare print from Ancient Rome, a new analysis has found.
The discovery surprised her owner, who learned that the 25-inch (63 cm) slab – a stone she had previously used as a ladder when assembling it horse – dated to the second century AD and was worth about $ 20,400 (£ 15,000).
However, no one knows how the marble masterpiece ended up in England. It was probably carved in Greece or Asia Minor (now Turkey), according to a statement from Woolley and Wallis, a UK auction house that is handling the sale of the plaque.
Related: Photos: glass mosaic dishes and bronze jugs from Roman England
A little bit of the stone’s history is known: it was dug out of a rock garden in Whiteparish, a village in southern England, about 20 years ago, according to Woolley and Wallis. Then, the stable owner used the mud-covered stone for a decade as an assembly block until, one day, she noticed a laurel wreath carved into its surface. An archaeologist who evaluated the slab revealed that it was a rare find. His inscription says: “the people (and) the Boys (honor) Demetrios (son) of Metrodoros (son) of Leukios” The Daily Mail reported.
Although the ancient Roman Empire extended to the British Isles, this slab was not made locally; it was probably brought to England about 300 years ago, according to Woolley and Wallis.
“Such artifacts often arrived in England as a result of Grand Tours in the late 18th and 19th century, when wealthy aristocrats traveled Europe, learning about classical art and culture,” said Will Hobbs, an antiquities expert at Woolley and Wallis in the statement. “We assume that this is how it entered the UK. But what is a complete mystery is how it ended up in a domestic garden, and that is where we would like the public to help.”
The rock garden at Whiteparish is part of a house built in the mid-1960s, and auctioneers are waiting for someone to remember details or people involved in its construction.
“There are several possibilities where the stone may have originated,” said Hobbs. English country houses known as “Cowesfield House and Broxmore House were very close to Whiteparish and were demolished in 1949 after being requested by the [British] army during the war, “he said.” But we also know that the house where you are now [family theme park] Paultons Park was destroyed by a fire in 1963 and, therefore, possibly the rubble there was reused on construction sites in the area shortly afterwards. “
Woolley and Wallis previously planned to auction the plaque in February, but the auction house has since changed the deadline for spring.
Originally published on Live Science.