HUGE CONSTANTINE HEAD UNVEILED



Part of missing statue preserved in mud of Trajan's sewer - Rome, July 28 - A huge marble head of the Roman Emperor Constantine was unveiled to the world on Thursday .

The colossal head was presented to the world media at the Capitoline Museums, whose director Anna Mura Sommella noted that it was very different in style from a later one which has been one of the museums' major drawing cards for years .

Borgna said the 60cm-high head was in "very good" condition and was made of marble from Carrara - the same quarries from which Michelangelo would later make his masterworks .

The head was part of an enormous statue that has not survived, Borgna said.

Restoration of the new head won't require much work, Borgna said, because of the "exceptional" way it was preserved in mud and bits of broken pottery in the main sewer under Trajan's Forum .

La Rocca said the statue might even have been used to free obstructions in the sewer system .

New excavations under Rome's largest forum produced the unexpected find a week ago .

La Rocca said it showed Constantine in stylised glory, at the time of his triumphant entry into Rome after beating rival emperor Maxentius at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge (312 AD) .

He said it was probably sculpted between 312 and 325 AD .



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