Posted on 03/01/2014 11:41:28 PM PST by SunkenCiv
An important archeological find of ancient Roman ruins has been made at the Medici Fortress of Arezzo in central Italy. During work for the reorganization of the historic building, evidence of an ancient Roman structure dating from the early decades of the first century AD were brought to light - probably a residence, or domus...
The Roman find is of enormous value for understanding the history of the city, Pessina said, and complements other discoveries such as the Church of San Donato in Cremona, dating back to the year 1000, found a few metres from the Roman structure, now being restored with financing in part from Prada proprietor Patrizio Bertelli.
The ancient ruins are believed to be a residential building from the Roman period in which three rooms so far have been identified. Remains of painted wall and floors have been found in two partially investigate rooms. The building, located in the northeastern plateau of the San Donato hill, was perched above the hillside's the steep slopes overlooking the valley below.
The floors found are attributable to the Augustan-Julio Claudian era (from late BC to the first decades AD), and show striking similarities to mosaics of the Villa dell'Ossaia in Cortona.
During the excavations, the burial remains of a warrior came to light - perhaps a medieval knight. The burial - still only partially seen by the experts conducting the excavations - is of a man with a long iron sword. According to preliminary investigations, the burial dates from around the year 1000.
Above a layer of collapsed floors of the Roman 'domus' there are signs of reuse later abandoned, including of course, the burial of the ''knight''.
(Excerpt) Read more at ansamed.info ...
My grandmother`s Italian restaurant has exactly the same floor.
Is it in Italy?
no but the kitchen floor in her house is also the same. [NY] A lot of old Italian restaurants and bars have the identical floors coz it`s easier to mop up the blood which doesn`t stick to it...
;’)
The current fortress is a massive polygonal contruction included perfectly in the town walls. It was built under the direction of Antonio da Sangallo (the Younger) and Nanni Unghero between 1538 and 1560 on the site of the old medieval cittadella, which had been razed to the ground because it was in the way of the line of fire of the cannons, and englobed most of the trapezoid Forte designed by Giuliano and Antonio (the Elder) da Sangallo at the beginning of the 16th century.
Around the 1880’s in NYC builders went crazy for that tile. A lot of it is still around in old buildings.
Who knew the Romans played Avalon Hill games?
Looks lhey found Mr. Ed’s Roman cousin’s old hideaway, the horse that sat as counsel to Caligula. Boy, could he spin yarns. The horse, not Caligula. ;-}
Isn’t digging up stuff fun?
Looks like they
oops
There was a tile store for Italian tiles in North Beach in San Francisco on, IIRC, Columbus. Many of the local stores had those tiles on their floors and walls.
Been a while, but I think Chinatown was pushing out the remaining Italians.
I miss Foir D’talia and the US Cafe.
We had that same floor in one of our bathrooms at the fraternity house. I remember mopping up vomit off of it when I was a pledge.
Nice pic!
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