Three skeletons possibly dating back to Roman times have been discovered hidden under the streets of the Italian capital of Rome.
According to local media, workmen were excavating the capital’s metro facilities when they made the find, reported la Repubblica.
The first remains, found on 20 September, 2019, in front of the Piramide underground station near Piazzale Ostiense, were those of a largely intact male, and were dubbed the “Pyramid Mummy.”
The perfectly-preserved bones, which ostensibly date back to when the Roman Empire was in its prime, were mysteriously surrounded by nails – suggesting that the body was buried in a wooden coffin.
According to a spokesperson for the Special Superintendency for the Archaeological Heritage of Rome, the skeleton’s exact age has yet to be established.
Two more skeletons — that of a mother and child — were dug up in the vicinity 10 days later.
The child’s remains had been placed between the woman's hip and knee, indicating that she was probably the mother.
It is believed the trio was a family and their burial formed part of the Necropolis of Via Ostiense, one of the best preserved ancient cemeteries in Rome.
Piramide station takes its name from the nearby Pyramid of Cestius - the only "Egyptian" pyramid in Europe and the tomb of Gaius Cestius, a member of the ancient Epulones religious group.
The area of the find was immediately cordoned off as the authorities launched an investigation, with archaeological analysis on the three skeletons currently underway.
