The rare find was made by a Museum of London team working on a City construction site ahead of development of a 16 storey hotel on the Minories.

Specialists have now confirmed that the sculpture dates to the 1st or 2nd century AD.

It is believed that the statue once adorned a rich mausoleum, the foundations of which were also uncovered during the excavation.

Described by experts as ‘amongst the very best statues surviving from Roman Britain’, the skill of the craftsman is apparent with the forked tongue of the snake and the individual feathers of the eagle still clearly discernible today.

The statue is 65cm tall and 55cm wide and is made from Oolitic limestone from the Cotswolds.

The object will now go on display for 6 months at the Museum of London from today.

The statue was discovered earlier this year before construction started on the site for joint developers Endurance Land and the Scottish Widows Investment Partnership (SWIP).

The developers have gone public on the find now its authenticity has been confirmed.

Calum Flockhart, Investment Manager,SWIP Property Trust said: “This has been an exciting project for the SWIP Property Trust not only from a real estate perspective but from an archaeological one too.

“It’s not everyday that a fine Roman sculpture is discovered in pristine condition on one of our development sites. As a responsible developer, it’s great to be part of the project team that helped make this discovery happen.”

Main contractor McAleer & Rushe is due to complete the hotel next Autumn.