Roman statuette discovered in resident's garden is one of Worthing Museum's '˜best finds'

Archaeological curator James Sainsbury with the Venus statuette

A small Roman-era statuette of the goddess Venus, which was discovered in the garden of a Salvington resident, has been hailed one of Worthing Museum's '˜best finds'.

The finger-length figurine, believed to be almost 2,000 years old, was handed in to the museum in Chapel Road by Worthing resident Albert Neal in December.

It was discovered by his brother in a flower bed while his mother was gardening at their home in Mardale Road, Salvington, in the 1960s.

James Sainsbury, archaeological curator at the museum, said: “It’s a lovely little statue.

“It’s one of the best things we’ve taken in. It’s so tangible and considering how old it is – it’s lost its legs and right arm – you still can make out features.”

He said it was an ‘unusual’ find for the area and one of only two Roman figures ever discovered in Worthing.

“Statues like this were relatively common but not really in Britain,” he said.

While there were 'extensive' Roman settlements in Worthing and the whole of the coastal plain, which was ‘relatively densely populated’, the area was made up of little farmsteads rather than major towns, he said.