Story highlights Archaeologists says the statue is in an "almost unbelievable" state of preservation

The sculpture of an eagle grasping a snake was found in a dig in the City of London

The limestone statue may once have graced a mausoleum, archaeologists say

It's been dated by experts to the first or second century

A Roman sculpture of an eagle with a writhing serpent firmly gripped in its hooked beak was unveiled Wednesday in London, where archaeologists found it on a site earmarked for a hotel development.

Archaeologists in London say the statue is one of the very best examples 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," a news release from Museum of London Archaeology said.

The archaeologists were "at first hesitant to announce the discovery and to proclaim its Roman origins, owing to its almost unbelievable preservation," it said.

But the limestone statue, which stands nearly 26 inches tall, has now been dated by experts to the first or second century.

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Photos: Roman eagle statue found in London Photos: Roman eagle statue found in London Roman eagle statue found in London – Archaeologists discovered the Roman sculpture of an eagle at site in the City of London which was being developed into a hotel. Hide Caption 1 of 3 Photos: Roman eagle statue found in London Roman eagle statue found in London – The limestone statue -- which has been dated to the first or second century -- is in a remarkable state of preservation, its feathers still clearly visible. Hide Caption 2 of 3 Photos: Roman eagle statue found in London Roman eagle statue found in London – The carving depicts an eagle clutching a snake in its beak, and is thought to symbolize the struggle of good over evil. Hide Caption 3 of 3

It was dug up at a site in the City of London, the UK capital's financial center, which is known once to have been home to a Roman cemetery.

According to the museum, the symbolism of the statue can be understood "as the struggle of good, the eagle, against evil, the snake," a common theme in relation to funeral sites.

Archaeologists believe the sculpture may once have sat in an alcove on a fancy mausoleum whose foundations were also uncovered in the dig.

The statue will be on display at the Museum of London for the next six months.