Well-known baths awash in hidden artifacts, rare finds

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Source: Canada.com
By Deepa Babington, Reuters

Excavations at an ancient Roman villa and bath complex in the outskirts of Rome have unearthed a wealth of surprisingly well-preserved artifacts, including the marble head of a Greek god, archeologists said on Wednesday.

The site of the Villa delle Vignacce, towards Ciampino airport south of Rome, was first explored by archeologists in 1780, who found statues that are now in the Vatican museum.

But excavations began in earnest only about two years ago, revealing a residence attached to an elaborate thermal bath complex dating to the first century A.D. complete with hot baths, large tubs and a communal latrine.

Since then, archeologists said they had also uncovered prized artifacts including fragments of columns, floor slabs and the head of a marble statue believed to represent either the Greek divinity of Zeus Serapide or Asclepius, the god of medicine and healing.

Another discovery of note included a coloured-glass mosaic of leaves and vegetation lining the inside of a vault.

http://www.canada.com/Travel/story.html?id=1086776