Vatican unveils necropolis inside its walls (Reuters/CNN)

[eppur_se_muova]

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) -- Lovers of Roman-era art and archaeology can thank the Vatican's parking problem for the discovery of one of the ancient world's best preserved necropolises -- right inside the tiny city-state's walls.

The necropolis was opened on Monday, three years after it was unearthed by workers who were breaking ground for a new garage to ease the Vatican's dearth of parking space.

"We found the kind of things that have usually been lost in past excavations in Rome," said Giandomenico Spinola, director of the excavation and restoration works.

One of the novelties of the necropolis, located along what was once the ancient Via Triumphalis (Triumphal Way) that Roman warriors used when returning rich and middle class Romans.

"History is not just made up of generals and kings," said Paolo Liverani, another member of the Vatican team that led the restoration project near St Peter's Basilica.
***
more: http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/science/10/09/vatican.necropolis.reut/index.html

Amazingly, Google Images returns loads of photos, not false hits!
http://images.google.com/images?q=vatican+necropolis&ie=ISO-8859-1&hl=en&nojs=1

The Vatican's own site is http://www.stpetersbasilica.org/Necropolis/Scavi-map.htm click on the links at the bottom to get to the photos.

[gumby]

1. Fellini's Roma?

Amazing.