- ROME -- Superb mosaics discovered
in the river port of imperial Rome are to be reburied to build a car park
on the site, archaeologists said yesterday.
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- The works were found near the ancient Porta Portese gate
on the river Tiber's right bank during excavations to build a tram depot.
But after an initial dig the transport corporation decided instead to build
a car park on the site without delay. Lack of funds and the corporation's
change of mind is forcing the archaeologists to close down their excavations.
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- All of the finds, apart from one mosaic which was already
in pieces and is to be removed to a museum, will be covered again. Experts
hope that future generations may one day properly excavate the site. One
mosaic is a huge black and white picture of fantastic sea monsters, while
the other shows a sea lion surrounded by fish. By contrast, the mosaic
destined for Rome's Palazzo Massimo museum is smaller and only has patterns.
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- Brick herringbone floors which also came to light in
the digs, and port warehouses, where goods taken up the Tiber in barges
were once unloaded in ancient Rome's heyday, will also have to be covered.
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- Experts consider these the most important finds. To their
astonishment, the layout of traces of ancient buildings uncovered corresponded
perfectly to the Forma Urbis Romae - a huge marble map of the city, now
in fragments, made in about 200 AD.
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