6 - Uncovering the Ancient World
Recent Discoveries in Archaeology
Historian Philip Towbin (Sycamore)
Everyone knows the story of Pompeii. Mount Vesuvius erupted over a large, bustling city and killed most of the citizens. Volcanic ash and dirt covered the streets, and eventually, the public forgot about the once-great city. That is, until 1599 when an architect- Domenico Fontana- was creating an extensive underground channel to divert the river Sarno. What he found shocked him. Several frescoes, inscriptions, and more were found! Even today, many unfound items, art pieces, and even weapons exist. However, almost every day we find some discovery that deepens our understanding of the Romans's life. Here are some of these discoveries:
2,000-Year-Old Swords:
On September 18, Glen Manning, an Englishman in the Cotswold District was at a metal detector rally when he discovered something amazing: 2 swords! Not only did he find these swords, but he discovered that they were mostly in one piece, containing the wooden scabbards and fittings. The swords were dated to be from about A.D. 160.
Roman Temple Discovered on Supermarket Construction:
In early July, the small, quiet town of Sarsina was shocked. On the construction site of a brand new supermarket, an ancient Roman temple was found! It is 577 meters wide, and this is just the tip of the iceberg! So far, they have found three rooms. One for Juno, one for Jupiter, and one for Minerva. While this discovery is insanely lucky, it is also a huge confirmation of ancient Rome. Because of this find, historians have evidence that Sarsina was a strategic military town as it
was built in a mountainous area,
overlooking the Savio River- arguably one
of the most important rivers. This is
because it connected central and
northern Roman cities. The temple is well
preserved with an almost intact entrance.
(Photo from CNN)
Uncovering the Ancient World