Ancient Roman Road Discovered at the Bottom of Venice Lagoon
Over 2,000 years ago (during the Roman period), a land-accessible route was found in the Lagoon of Venice.
After surveying the lagoon’s Treporti channel’s floor, Venetian researcher Fantina Madricardo and her colleagues found this finding.
We assume it was part of a Roman road network in the Venetian region, Madricardo said.
Read also: Scientists decode how ropes were made 40,000 years ago
According to archaeologist Ernesto Canal, ancient human-made structures lie submerged in the lagoon of Venice.
Despite extensive discussion over the last few decades, this notion has never been proven since the technology available at the time was not mature enough to investigate such a harsh environment.
Divers find it hard to explore the region due to strong currents and muddy lagoon waters.
An echosounder equipped boat was utilised for this purpose. Sound waves bounce off the lagoon floor to form pictures of whatever buildings are down.
Across 1140 metres from southwest to north-eastern, the researchers identified 12 buildings up to 2.7 metres high and 52.7 metres long.
According to the arrangement of these structures, a town existed in this region.
As early as 2000 years ago, the area was inundated owing to human activities that split
Prior to 2000 B.C., the region was inundated owing to human activities that redirected rivers and robbed the area of sediments essential to maintain it above the water.
Highways provide easy access to this diverse landscape.
Read also: Pompeii ‘fast food’ bar unearthed in the ancient city after 2,000 years
A Newcastle University professor says that “the edges of land and water are brimming with resources that humanity could have tapped into.” Landscapes that have been submerged underwater may be studied in great detail.
