'Mythical Roman cave' unearthed

[stellanoir]

This is cool.

I heard brief description of this on the radio the other day when I was up to my eyeballs in chopped and soon to be chopped vegetables.

Just found the link for a friend who is a Roman history buff.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7104330.stm

snip

"Italy and Rome never cease to astonish the world with continual archaeological and artistic discoveries, and it is incredible to think that we have finally found a mythical site which, by our doing so, has become a real place."

snip

"You can imagine our amazement - we almost screamed," said Professor Giorgio Croci, the head of the archaeological team working on the restoration of the Palatine, told reporters.

"It is clear that Augustus... wanted his residence to be built in a place which was sacred for the city of Rome," he added.

The Palatine hill is covered in palaces and other ancient monuments, from the 8th Century BC remains of Rome's first buildings to a mediaeval fortress and Renaissance villas."

snip

[hlthe2b]

1. It amazes me that as populated and continuous the inhabitation

of Italy, that there continue to be these unexplored places and landmarks. Egypt, I can see, but in much of "old Europe," it really does seem incredible.

[stellanoir]

4. Yeah in the blowing sands of Egypt I'm sure much is yet to be discovered.

But did you see in the diagram at the bottom how far underground the cave was. . .?

Many more treasures to be unearthed all over I'll bet.

Now you've inspired me to go google the burial mounds in Kentucky where coins from the first temple in Jerusalem are rumored to have been found.

"Things that make ya go hmmmmmm."

[hlthe2b]

7. Indian burial mounds, I'd imagine...

Let us all know what you discover! LOL

[MorningGlow]

17. There's no better preserving agent of ancient structures

than other structures built on top of them...and more on top of that...and more on top of that...! So highly populated areas stand on top of the best stuff--no risk of plows overturning things or bulldozers pushing them out of the way.

GORGEOUS mosaics. What a find!

[Elidor]

2. What an amazing find!

Thanks for posting it.

[Deja Q]

3. Roman, eh? Did anybody find any interesting white deposits on the cave walls?

That's also one hell of a wolf told in the story... most wolves just eat people...

:hide:

Okay, okay, it was an incredible find. But it's Friday and I'm not out spending money. Yet. :beer:

[stellanoir]

5. Wolves generally don't eat people. Just grandmothers. (kidding)

In a wolf pack leadership is determined on whomever is the best at inspiring and initiating play.

Perhaps we could learn a thing or two from them.

You couldn't pay me to spend money today.

e-gads

[CatWoman]

11. thank you, Stella

sometimes it's best not to say anything.......

[stellanoir]

12. LOL

I trust your lovely feline friends served up incredible scrumptious fare for yesterday's fest.

Or maybe not.

Hope you remember that joke from years ago.

:hi:

[CatWoman]

19. did you see all the historic-themed links next to the story?

:hi:

they found a bust of Constantine's head in a sewer!!!

[rug]

6. "Naked, except for the skins of goats that had been sacrificed that day,

they would strike women they met on the hands with strips of sacrificial goatskin to promote fertility."

They sound like Jets fans.

[stellanoir]

8. Most cultures are rooted in strange ritualistic customs.

Just look at this "black Friday" thingy. . .

I'd much prefer being stricken on the hands with strips of sacrificial goatskin by loin clothed dudes than go shopping today.

That's for sure.

I trust I'll be doing neither.

Dunno about Jets fans but I'll take your word on that.

[rug]

9. .

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=2328270

[stellanoir]

13. Or. . .why I don't watch sports.

Yikes. But thanks for the cultural reference as sad as it is.

[magellan]

14. The strips of goatskin were called "februa"; it's where "February" gets its name

Here's more of interest about the Lupercalia festival, and how it became Valentine's Day:

"Long after Palentine Hill became the seat of the powerful city, state and empire of Rome, the Lupercalia festival lived on. Roman armies took the Lupercalia customs with them as they invaded France and Britain. One of these was a lottery where the names of available maidens were placed in a box and drawn out by the young men. Each man accepted the girl whose name he drew as his love - for the duration of the festival, or sometimes longer.

"As Christianity began to slowly and systematically dismantle the pagan pantheons, it frequently replaced the festivals of the pagan gods with more ecumenical celebrations. It was easier to convert the local population if they could continue to celebrate on the same days... they would just be instructed to celebrate different people and ideologies..

"Lupercalia, with its lover lottery, had no place in the new Christian order. In the year 496 AD, Pope Gelasius did away with the festival of Lupercalia, citing that it was pagan and immoral. He chose Valentine as the patron saint of lovers, who would be honored at the new festival on the fourteenth of every February. The church decided to come up with its own lottery and so the feast of St. Valentine featured a lottery of Saints. One would pull the name of a saint out of a box, and for the following year, study and attempt to emulate that saint."

[rug]

15. Now that's interesting.

Thanks for the info.

[stellanoir]

21. Then a possibly premature

valentine's day to you,

[xchrom]

10. what i wouldn't give to see that. very cool. nt

[opiate69]

16. I once read a Nat'l Geographic article on subterranean Rome.. fascinating stuff..

Seems Rome has been rebuilt many times right on top of previous incarnations of the city.
http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0607/feature3/index.html

[MADem]

18. Very cool,indeed!!! K/r!!!

[lostnotforgotten]

20. I Walked The Palatine Gardens Last April

It's an amazing place.

Much more impressive in my mind than the Vatican.

That with exception of the Michaelangelo's amazing frescoes.

[LaurenG]

22. Very nice!

Whoops! "Error: You've already recommended that thread" :rofl:

[I Have A Dream]

23. I love it when these things end up being true! K&R. n/t

[Quantess]

24. Cool! (no text)