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During the pre-construction excavation of a solar power plant on 52 acres (21 hectares) of land north of Rome in central Italy, a necropolis dating back to the Roman Empire was unexpectedly uncovered. Under the leadership of Emanuele Giannini, numerous tombs and a wealth of artifacts were discovered within these ancient burial sites.
The excavation team initially anticipated minimal archaeological findings. However, approximately 70 skeletons were unearthed from carefully constructed graves. In addition to the human remains, the discovery of valuable objects, leather goods, pottery, and coins has led researchers to believe that the necropolis was established during the flourishing period of the Roman Empire, spanning from the second to the fourth centuries A.D.
As Giannini told CNN, the presence of a nearby "mansio," an ancient villa where Roman dignitaries took a break from business travel to relax, helps explain the socially privileged and priceless contents of the tombs.
During the excavations, gold necklaces and earrings, terracotta pots, precious stones, coins, spectacles, amulets and silver rings decorated with amber and carved initials were found inside the tombs, including expensive socks and shoes on some skeletons.
Source: Newsroom
2 min read
