Italian Archaeologists Unearth ‘Older Ruins’ of Unique Ancient Roman Temple

The discovery of an ancient Roman temple on a supermarket building site in northern Italy "could be just the tip of the iceberg" in terms of excavations, a US news network has reported.

The broadcaster cited Romina Pirraglia, lead archaeologist at the excavation site in the town of Sarsina, as saying that to date her colleagues have unearthed three separate rooms, “likely dedicated to the triad of gods Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva.”

An X (formerly Twitter) screenshot of ancient temple ruins in Sarsina, Italy. File photo

The excavation works kicked off late last year after the ruins of the temple were discovered by those involved in the construction of a shopping mall in Sarsina.

Pirraglia told the news network that the excavations are still underway as the archaeologists have already identified “an older, deeper layer of ruins dating back to the 4th century BC, when the Umbrian people [an ancient Italic tribe who predated the Romans] lived in the area.” According to her, “the entire temple could be even larger” than what the scientists now see.

An X (formerly Twitter) screenshot of ancient temple ruins in Sarsina, Italy. File photo

Federica Gonzato, superintendent of archaeology, fine arts and landscape for the provinces of Ravenna, Rimini and Forlì-Cesena, which includes Sarsina, in turn made it clear that the town’s administration plans to preserve the ruins and relocate the supermarket building site to a separate area.

“We will not tear it down to make room for modern structures, this must be very clear. Previous urban plans will be changed, we will find new construction sites for recreation and sports. The temple is an incredible finding that sheds light on how ancient Roman towns rose and fell across time,” she told the broadcaster.

Gonzato specifically pointed to the temple’s eyebrow-raising state of preservation, something that she said makes the discovery exceptional.

“The marvelous quality of the stones have been spared from sacks, enemy invasions and plunders across millennia thanks to the remote location of Sarsina, a quiet spot distant from larger cities. Temples such as this one [were] regularly plundered, exploited as quarries with stones and marble slabs taken away to be re-used to build new homes. But Sarsina’s capitolium podium structure is practically untouched, with its entrance staircase well-preserved, and this is extremely rare,” the official underscored.

She expressed hope that the discovery of the temple would shed more light on demography and urban transformations in ancient times. “This is the beauty of Italy: wherever you dig, some hidden treasure comes out of the ground. Wonders never cease to amaze us,” Gonzato concluded.

Archaeologists Discover Immense 2,000-Year-Old Temple of Poseidon in Greece

13 January 2023, 18:23 GMT