The local mayor describes the discovery in the Gulf of Naples as “madness!” Italian archaeologists have a “complicated” job ahead of them.
Campi Flegrei – Incredible treasures are hidden in the Gulf of Naples. Researchers have discovered “thousands of marble slabs” in “hundreds of different shapes” in the sea. The Archaeological Park Campi Flegrei announced this in the social media They are the remains of a Roman villa that have sunk into the sea over the centuries due to volcanic activity. While the super volcano is currently robbing people in the region of their sleep, it is a stroke of luck for archaeologists. The ancient mosaic floor is apparently more or less intact. “Incredible! It is the magic of Baia Sommersa,” is how the mayor of Bacoli describes the find on Facebook.
Breathtaking find in the sea of Italy: Ancient mosaic of a sunken city discovered
The area was once the Roman city of Baia. According to the park, the 250 square meter mosaic floor probably dates back to the third century AD. It is the reception room of a Roman villa with a so-called protiro entrance. The large hall, called a basilica by archaeologists, is typical of the master’s residence at that time, the park explains in another post.
Antique mosaic stones are “used” – not an unusual phenomenon for researchers
The marble slabs used are very uneven and there are a lot of them, as can be seen in the photo. These marble pieces are “used,” according to the park. They come from decorations or other jewelry. “The phenomenon is also typical of late antiquity (third to fifth century AD).” In addition, the more than ten-meter-high walls collapsed directly onto the ground, and the marble floor beneath them splintered. The marble pieces had to be carefully recovered from the site in order to be able to “save some geometries.”
After the excavation, the slabs will be placed on land in freshwater tanks to clean them of seawater. After that, the researchers will examine slab by slab to recreate the previous mosaic. “The work is still long and complex, but we are sure that it will provide many suggestions and great satisfaction,” writes the park.
A sunken treasure in Italy recently thrilled archaeologists. A Diver discovered first traces off the coast of Sardinia. Now its enormous size is revealed. But also about a A thousand-year-old animal egg amazed researchers already. (ml)
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