Wednesday, November 25, 2015 5:06:45 PM
Man Intent on Fixing Toilet Uncovers Centuries-Old Subterranean World Beneath his Basement
http://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/man-intent-fixing-toilet-uncovers-centuries-old-subterranean-world-020299?utm_source=Ancient-Origins+Newsletter&utm_campaign=1df0939355-Top_Trending_Stories_Sep_No3_REAL_23_9_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_2dcd13de15-1df0939355-87943617
An Italian man’s dream to open a modest restaurant became an archaeological obsession when he broke ground in order to repair a faulty toilet. The underground world filled with centuries of history he found beneath his building would dominate his life for more than a decade.
In 2000, Luciano Faggiano faced plumbing and sewage issues on the property he had purchased in order to start a trattoria, a casual eating establishment, in Lecce, Italy. Figuring it would be a quick fix, he opted to find and repair the trouble himself, with the help of his two older sons. Digging beneath the building, the family soon discovered a subterranean world, “tracing back before the birth of Jesus: a Messapian tomb, a Roman granary, a Franciscan chapel and even etchings from the Knights Templar. His trattoria instead became a museum, where relics still turn up today,” writes an article in The New York Times.
The ruins and chambers discovered due to the excavations of Luciano Faggiano. Image credit: Map data 2012 Google ©2015 Google
Lecce, and Italy in general, is rich with history. Described as a layered cake of ancient civilizations and empires stacked one atop the other, the history of the area can be found just under its cobblestone and modern paved surfaces. Relics and artifacts are revealed frequently, whether from a farmer’s fields or under a city parking lot. Such discoveries are exciting additions to the shared collection of Italy’s past, but the historical finds also slow or cancel modern construction plans like subway systems or building improvements, causing headaches for city planners and builders.
FULL story at link. Video is not in english but is great to watch.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10027381149
http://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/man-intent-fixing-toilet-uncovers-centuries-old-subterranean-world-020299?utm_source=Ancient-Origins+Newsletter&utm_campaign=1df0939355-Top_Trending_Stories_Sep_No3_REAL_23_9_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_2dcd13de15-1df0939355-87943617
An Italian man’s dream to open a modest restaurant became an archaeological obsession when he broke ground in order to repair a faulty toilet. The underground world filled with centuries of history he found beneath his building would dominate his life for more than a decade.
In 2000, Luciano Faggiano faced plumbing and sewage issues on the property he had purchased in order to start a trattoria, a casual eating establishment, in Lecce, Italy. Figuring it would be a quick fix, he opted to find and repair the trouble himself, with the help of his two older sons. Digging beneath the building, the family soon discovered a subterranean world, “tracing back before the birth of Jesus: a Messapian tomb, a Roman granary, a Franciscan chapel and even etchings from the Knights Templar. His trattoria instead became a museum, where relics still turn up today,” writes an article in The New York Times.
The ruins and chambers discovered due to the excavations of Luciano Faggiano. Image credit: Map data 2012 Google ©2015 Google
Lecce, and Italy in general, is rich with history. Described as a layered cake of ancient civilizations and empires stacked one atop the other, the history of the area can be found just under its cobblestone and modern paved surfaces. Relics and artifacts are revealed frequently, whether from a farmer’s fields or under a city parking lot. Such discoveries are exciting additions to the shared collection of Italy’s past, but the historical finds also slow or cancel modern construction plans like subway systems or building improvements, causing headaches for city planners and builders.
FULL story at link. Video is not in english but is great to watch.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10027381149
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