Mrs Holyland, of School Lane, owns a carved stone which experts believe could be a rare form of Celtic art dating back to Roman times.
The relic, nicknamed Norman due to its historical connections, was discovered by the 80-year-old in the back garden of her old Harby address 20 years ago.
Mrs Holyland, who has an interest in ancient artefacts, said: "When I saw it, it was just a bit of stone but it looked interesting so I decided to look after it."
Last year she took it to retired Harby archaeologist Leslie Cram, who identified it as a Celtic head from Iron Age tribes who had been conquered by the Romans.
The pair notified Leicestershire County Council, and archaeologists believe the stone is at least 2,000 years old.
The head is of a man with bushy eyebrows, a moustache and what appears to be a smile. Mr Cram said the head could be a tribute to an important member of the tribe, such as a leader or grandfather.
Ernie White, lead member for heritage services at the county council, said: "As a piece of folk-religious art it is an important find for the people of Leicestershire."
Only one other Celtic head has been found in Leicestershire, in an Oadby garden about 50 years ago, and belongs to the county council's archaeology collections.
Norman remains in private ownership but will be lent to the county council for display at Melton Carnegie Museum later this year.