Bosham Head could be statue of Roman Emperor Trajan, 3D scans suggest The 'Bosham Head' has remained a mystery since it was discovered in a Chichester flowerbed over 200 years ago Archaeologists at Bournemouth University used 3D laser scans to pick out facial features and a distinctive hairstyle to identify Emperor Trajan The statue was set up by Trajan's successor, Hadrian, on a visit to Britain in AD 121-122 to greet visitors as they entered Chichester Harbour The identity of a huge stone object known as the 'Bosham Head' that has remained a mystery since it was discovered in a Chichester flowerbed over 200 years ago has been solved by scientists. Using the latest scanning technology to examine the object, a team of British researchers believe the stone, which dates from around 122 AD, is part of a statue of Roman Emperor Trajan. Before the hi-tech study, little was known about the eroded stone, which is twice as large as a human head, including who it was meant to depict. The identity of a huge stone object known as the 'Bosham Head' (pictured) that has remained a mystery since it was discovered in a Chichester flowerbed over 200 years ago is part of a statue of the Roman Emperor Trajan, scientists said. They used scanning technology to examine the object which dates from around 122 AD Trajan was was Roman Emperor from 98 AD until his death He is remembered as a successful soldier-emperor who presided over the greatest military expansion in Roman history, leading the empire to attain its maximum territorial extent by the time of his death He is also known for his philanthropic rule, overseeing extensive public building programmes and implementing social welfare policies, which earned him his enduring reputation as the second of the Five Good Emperors who presided over an era of peace and prosperity in the Mediterranean world Trajan's public building programme which reshaped the city of Rome, left enduring landmarks such as Trajan's Forum, Trajan's Market and Trajan's Column Archaeologists at Bournemouth University used 3D laser scans to pick out facial features and a distinctive hairstyle, which led them to conclude that the statue was of Emperor Trajan. Miles Russell, a senior lecturer in prehistoric and Roman archaeology at the university and Harry Manley, from the school of applied sciences, led the study, which has been assisted by The Novium museum. It concluded the statue, made of Italian marble was set up by Trajan's successor, Hadrian, on a visit to Britain in AD 121-122 and would have greeted visitors as they entered Chichester Harbour. Before the hi-tech study, little was known about the eroded 170kg stone (left), which is twice as large as a human head, including who it was meant to depict. However, now archaeologists believe it is the head of a statue of Emperor Trajan. A more complete and less weather-beaten bust is pictured right 'The statue is one of the most important finds from Roman Britain and would certainly have been the most impressive,' said Dr Russell. It is the largest Roman statue to have been discovered in Britain so far. 'The problem is because the face has been so battered by weathering - possibly because it was in the sea at one point - people have felt for the last 200 years that there's not enough left of the face to be that precise on its identification. It is a shame that it has been ignored and overlooked for so long, but now that laser scanning has helped resolve its identity, hopefully it will now take pride of place. It is the largest Roman statue to have been discovered in Britain so far The archaeologists concluded the statue, made of Italian marble was set up by Trajan¿s successor, Hadrian, on a visit to Britain in AD 121-122 and would have greeted visitors as they entered Chichester Harbour - pictured here in more recent times The statue is on show at the Collection Discovery Centre at Fishbourne - the site of a Roman palace - but a similar statue of Emperor Trajan was erected by Hadrian at Ostia Harbour, in Rome. 'The fact that it was on the harbour and mirrors what's happening in Ostia suggests that this would have been a real monumental greeting not just to Sussex but to do the whole of Southern England,' Dr Russell said. 'There would have been this immense statue of the Emperor facing you as you came in to the harbour, so it's a real "Welcome to Britain" statue but reminding you that Britain is part of the Roman Empire.' A similar statue of Emperor Trajan to the one found in Chichester was erected by Hadrian at Ostia Harbour, in Rome. Trajan (a statue is pictured right) is remembered as a successful soldier who expanded the Roman empire and oversaw extensive public building programmes, which included Trajan's Column (pictured left)