Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Visiting Local Sites (and sights)

Excavation continued on Wednesday, reaching levels just below a modern drainage channel. We hope to be able to remove the drainage channel today (Thursday). In addition to learning about archaeology through excavation, students who are participating in the excavation also have a chance to travel to local archaeological sites. Yesterday afternoon, the director of the excavations, John Muccigrosso, led students and professors to the Christian catacombs along the Via Flaminia, which feature the remains of an early Christian basilica above the entrance to the catacombs, the apse of which is visible in the photograph below.
We also visited the impressive Ponte Fonnaia, part of the Via Flaminia, a photograph of which you see below. Our afternoon trip took us to one additional Roman "ponte" along the Via Flaminia. This ponte was re-used as the foundation of the medieval church of San Giovanni de Butris. In the photograph below, you can see the top of the Roman arch being used to support the entrance to the church.

1 comment:

  1. Professor,
    We very much enjoy following your progress! Our daughter, Erin, is one of your students "diggers" there, and it is great to be able to read about what she is doing, and see the pictures you post. We'll keep watching!
    Bob and Debbie Warford
    Katy, Texas

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