Prof. Lorenzo Quilici in the Aqua Traiana
Posted on 01/25/2010 3:39:35 PM PST by bruinbirdman
Pair of British amateur archaeologists believe they have found the hidden source of a Roman aqueduct 1,900 years after it was inaugurated by the Emperor Trajan.
The underground spring lies behind a concealed door beneath an abandoned 13th century church on the shores of Lake Bracciano, 35 miles north of Rome.
Exploration of the site has shown that water percolating through volcanic bedrock was collected in underground grottoes and chambers and fed into a subterranean aqueduct, the Aqua Traiana, which took it all the way to the imperial capital.
Prof. Lorenzo Quilici in the Aqua Traiana
Centuries later, it provided water for the very first Vatican, after Rome began to convert to Christianity under the Emperor Constantine.
The underground complex, which is entangled with the roots of huge fig trees, was discovered by father and son documentary makers Edward and Michael O'Neill, who stumbled on it while researching the history of Rome's ancient aqueducts.
They recruited a leading authority on Roman hydro-engineering, Prof Lorenzo Quilici from Bologna University, who confirmed that the structure was Roman, rather than medieval as had long been believed.
Using long iron ladders to descend into the bowels of the sophisticated system, they found that the bricks comprising the aqueduct's walls are laid in a diamond shape known as "opus reticulatum" – a distinctive Roman style of engineering.
"A lot of the stone work bears the original Roman tool marks," Edward O'Neill said.
The underground labyrinth of galleries has remained almost unknown to archaeologists because for hundreds of years it was full of water.
It was only when modern bore pumps started directing the supply to the nearby town of Bracciano that the water level dropped dramatically and the subterranean complex became accessible.
The vaulted ceiling was decorated with a rare
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
woohoo, Roman sewage!!
That is amazing. I always find it fascinating to read about Roman finds.
Nice comment, Cloaca-boy.
Dang, look at that stonework. Beautiful and built to last.
Better than about 90% of the crap-work we see today.
Other than the aqueducts, what did the Romans ever do for us?
The so called Dark Ages occurred when Rome fell. Things improved when the Holy Roman Empire formed.
I have no idea how they were able to build the aqueducts without computers. The level had to be a gradual descent sometimes for hundreds of miles. Too steep or not steep enough and it would not work.
They also built incredible bridges so their enemies could not hide on the other side of the river. The army could quickly build these incredible bridges. Waterproof or underwater cement was one of the most important inventions. The roads were incredible and straight. Just amazing stuff.
Ping.
Well later on Italy beat the Muslims at the Battle of Lepanto that saved Europe from Islam in 1571 AD.
Romans - indoor plumbing, fresh water, a Senate at it’s very worst was less corrupt than our own - I would take that horse over Pelosi, roads, underwater cement.
Much of the US was founded by people in the UK. Most of the water works and roads were built by the Romans.
Err. . . Aqueducts are for drinking water.
An awesome find. The Romans were definitely COOL.
Amazing stuff. Roman engineering never ceases to fascinate and demonstrate the genius of the ancients.
And they’re off and running at Aqueduct...
Olympia! Olympia!
Osirus, what has happened to your nose?
I’ve just returned from ROME!
Shoes for industry!
bttt
at is amazing. I always find it fascinating to read about Roman finds.
^^
Ditto.
...and Italians blame America.
Between Sevilla and Granada, in Andalusia, Spain, runs a two-lane highway which crosses over a river call Rio Frio (Cold River).
There exists there today three bridges at that river crossing; Roman, Medieval (both no longer used), and modern. The Roman bridge still looks great, the Medieval looks crude by comparison to the Roman, and modern one everyone uses has no personality at all.
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