While building a motorway in the Italian town of Pons (72 km from Venice), workers from Veneto Strade S.p.A. stumbled upon the remains of an ancient religious complex dating back to the 5th century BC. The first artefacts turned up when the site was first cleared out. Archaeologists have dug up some huge rectangular temple foundations, including one that has a peripteral design (surrounded by columns). Researchers were particularly intrigued by the numerous ancient inscriptions, some of which are in Latin, but most of which are in the Venetic language, which was spoken in north-eastern Italy before Roman rule. Later, in the 1st century AD, slabs with religious inscriptions on them were used again to pave the floor. Scientists have figured out that way back when, the Adige river flooded the area, but the complex wasn’t given up on. It was changed but kept its sacred role, even during Roman times.
While building a motorway in Italy, some construction workers stumbled upon the ruins of an ancient sanctuary, kicking off some serious archaeological investigations. The Italian Department of Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape said they’d found it, according to Fox News.
The sanctuary was found in the town of Pons, about 72 km south-west of Venice. The builders from Veneto Strade S.p.A. were putting up a new road from Borgo Veneto to Carceri when they stumbled across the site, which dates back to the 5th century BC.
The first artefacts turned up during demining operations related to a war.
Later, archaeologists found some big rectangular foundation structures that they thought were temples, and one of them was probably surrounded by columns.
“Although some inscriptions were in Latin, many more were written in Venetic script – an ancient language used by the Veneti people in north-eastern Italy before Roman rule,” the report added.
Officials say that a lot of the inscribed stones were probably reused in a paved floor, though the purpose of this floor is still unclear, while some remained in their original locations.
“Looking at the evidence we’ve got so far, it seems like the paving was probably put down in the 1st century AD. As the dig continued, we found some new large rectangular foundation structures, which we think are temples. As the dig continued, they found some new large rectangular foundation structures, which look like temples; one of them has the marks of a peripteral temple, with a row of columns all around it,” the statement added.
Photos from the dig show ancient Venetian inscriptions, as well as bits of columns and stone blocks that are buried underground. It’s thought that these are part of the temple complex.
Some of the inscriptions are also ‘votive’ – meaning they were probably used for religious purposes.
Archaeologists say that in ancient times this area was flooded by one of the Adige River’s branches. Officials also said that previous finds show that it has been used and changed over time, rather than being neglected.
“It looks like this site was really important in Roman times, but in a different way and with a different cultural background than before,” the statement added.
Scientists are currently studying the area. This discovery is just the latest in a growing list of recent archaeological finds across Italy.