Francuski arheolozi otkrili su na obalama Rhone, na jugoistoku Francuske, "iznimno nalazište" koje su entuzijastično nazvali "mali Pompeji" - izvanredno očuvane ostatke cijele četvrti drevnog rimskog grada, prenosi AFP.
"Radi se nesumnjivo o najznačajnijem otkriću nekog starorimskog nalazišta u posljednjih 40 do 50 godina. Imali smo nevjerojatnu sreću", kazao je voditelj arheološkog iskapanja Benjamin Clement.
Iskopane su rimske vile i javne zgrade, a brojni predmeti se još uvijek nalaze gdje su ih ostavili stanovnici prije nego su pobjegli pred požarima.
Neke vile datiraju iz 1. stoljeća poslije Krista. Prema prvim saznanjima, prije nego je napušten zbog niza požara, grad je bio nastanjen punih 300 godina.
An archaeologist works on a mosaic on July 31, 2017, on the archaeological antiquity site of Sainte-Colombe, near Vienne, eastern France. Remains of an entire neighbourhood of the Roman city of Vienne have been uncovered in Sainte-Colombe, with lavish residences decorated with mosaics, a philosophy school and shops. The dig of the site, discovered prior to housing construction on a parcel of 5000 m2, began in April 2017 and was due to last six months, but have been extended to December 15, 2017, after the site was classified as an "exceptional discovery" by the French Culture Minsitry. / AFP PHOTO / JEAN-PHILIPPE KSIAZEK
"Požari koji su zaredali jedan za drugim su zaslužni za konzerviranje nalazišta koje je, poput Pompeja kod Napulja, bilo zakopano ispod pepela", objasnio je Clement.
Jedna vila nazvana je Kućom bakanalija s mozaikom procesije ženskih štovatelja Bahusa - rimskog boga vina koji je u Staroj Grčkoj bio poznat kao Dioniz - uz satire, muške pratitelje boga vina s jarčevim karakteristikama. Vjeruje se da se radi o vili bogatog trgovca jer ima mramorne pločice, velike vrtove i sustav opskrbe vodom.
"Moći ćemo obnoviti kuću od poda do krova", kazao je ushićeni Clement.
An archaeologist works on July 31, 2017, on the archaeological antiquity site of Sainte-Colombe, near Vienne, eastern France. Remains of an entire neighbourhood of the Roman city of Vienne have been uncovered in Sainte-Colombe, with lavish residences decorated with mosaics, a philosophy school and shops. The dig of the site, discovered prior to housing construction on a parcel of 5000 m2, began in April 2017 and was due to last six months, but have been extended to December 15, 2017, after the site was classified as an "exceptional discovery" by the French Culture Minsitry. / AFP PHOTO / JEAN-PHILIPPE KSIAZEK
U drugoj vili je otkriven mozaik s gologuzom Talijom, muzom i zaštitnicom komedije, koju je oteo pohotljivi Pan, bog satira. Nalazište se nalazi u predgrađu Vienne, grada južno od Lyona.
Vienne je bio jedan od vodećih urbanih središta tijekom vladavine Julija Cezara i poznat je po rimskom hramu i kazalištu.
Archaeologist carry out searches on July 31, 2017, on the archaeological antiquity site of Sainte-Colombe, near Vienne, eastern France. Remains of an entire neighbourhood of the Roman city of Vienne have been uncovered in Sainte-Colombe, with lavish residences decorated with mosaics, a philosophy school and shops. The dig of the site, discovered prior to housing construction on a parcel of 5000 m2, began in April 2017 and was due to last six months, but have been extended to December 15, 2017, after the site was classified as an "exceptional discovery" by the French Culture Minsitry. / AFP PHOTO / JEAN-PHILIPPE KSIAZEK