Romes Subway Project Keeps Digging Up Archaeological Marvels

[Judi Lynn]

By ELISABETTA POVOLEDO MARCH 7, 2018



Archaeologists believe the richly decorated house belonged to the commander of a military complex that was found
at the site two years ago. Credit Soprintendenza Speciale di Roma

ROME — For archaeologists, the excavation of Rome’s newest subway line has been the gift that keeps on giving.

Two years after a second-century military barracks was found during the excavation of the Amba Aradam station, archaeologists last week presented the remains of a richly decorated domus, or house, that they believe belonged to the commander of the military post.

Even after the discovery of the military complex, “we didn’t imagine that we’d find a house with a central courtyard,” a fountain and at least 14 rooms, said Simona Morretta, the state archaeologist responsible for the site. One of the rooms appears to have been heated.

The foundation of another structure, equal in size but far less opulent, was also excavated at the same level, some 40 feet below the surface. Archaeologists believe it was probably used as a warehouse.

More:
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/07/arts/rome-subway-archaeological-marvels.html

[Nitram]

1. Awesome! Israel has the same "problem." I say "problem" becuuse it is so difficult to build subways,

roads, and building foundations when every shovelful of dirt uncovers priceless archaeological treasures that will take 6 months to a year to uncover and preserve.

[BigmanPigman]

4. I saw a TV show about a different site that was discovered

a short while ago while building the subway in Rome and this seems to be a common "problem". This is what happens when you build one city on top of another.

With Climate Change in our present and future I bet this will be happening along a lot of coastal areas on Earth. Abandoned cities and move them inland or raise them higher over the original structures.

[forgotmylogin]

2. It would be neat...

if they could somehow incorporate the ruins safely into the station for people to visit, almost like a museum exhibit contained within public transit.

[murielm99]

3. When I was a working librarian,

I met an architect who was working for the state (Illinois). They were doing a highway project and had to have an archaeologist on site in case they uncovered anything archaeologically significant.

[Nitram]

5. The New World will never compare to the Old when it comes to the layers and layers

of cities and towns built over thousands of years. We have remains of Native American dwellings that old, but not of continuous building and habitation over millennia.