Romans hail discovery of their 'new Pompeii'

[emad]

The Independent
By Peter Popham in Rome
19 January 2005


Thirteen metres beneath the streets of Rome, archaeologists have discovered what people are calling "a new Pompeii" that has been buried for nearly two millennia.

Using video cameras, a team of researchers has unveiled a mosaic, in almost perfect condition, showing a team of naked men at the time of Emperor Nero, trampling the grape harvest.

Work on reconstructing the artistic wonders of Nero's reign began in 1998 and has yielded a number of extraordinary mosaics. But this is the most striking to date. Covering an area of three metres by two metres, it depicts five figures: one taking bundles of grapes from a basket, three trampling them and the fifthplaying a double flute.

http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/story.jsp?story=602280

[Crankie Avalon]

1. Too bad about no pics of the earlier finds...

...but the story was still worth clicking.



http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/zeugma/mosaic.html

[Lisa]

2. so how long before Ashcroft shows up and throws a cloth over it?

Now that he has plenty of time to go about covering nude art.

But seriously, that's a cool find. I guess this means that the Rome subway system is delayed yet again!

[Taxloss]

3. Moaner.

(This is a joke.)