Great post! I really like the concept of preventive archaeology so that Romans have an opportunity to catalog their past. Given how young the actual scientific principles are for archaeology, it’s wonderful to see it being given priority in places like Rome. On the other hand, I can very much appreciate that taking the time necessary to excavate and catalog a site before resuming much-needed work runs counter to the need. A bit of robbing Peter to pay Paul with time. Ahhhhh, your descriptions about spolia and Rome’s cannibalization of itself is so perfect. Noticing those random little nuggets embedded in walls or as pillars inside many a Roman church never ceases to amaze me. So cool!
I read about this somewhere else recently, but you really captured the essence of the discovery and the challenges of building anything in Rome. When I was a kid, I'd say "I want to be an archeologist" and my Dad would always say, "By the time you grow up, they will have dug everything up." Obviously he was wrong, but my fascination with archeology remains 60 years on . . . It's one of the reasons why I loved living in Rome and find it eternally fascinating.
Great post! I really like the concept of preventive archaeology so that Romans have an opportunity to catalog their past. Given how young the actual scientific principles are for archaeology, it’s wonderful to see it being given priority in places like Rome. On the other hand, I can very much appreciate that taking the time necessary to excavate and catalog a site before resuming much-needed work runs counter to the need. A bit of robbing Peter to pay Paul with time. Ahhhhh, your descriptions about spolia and Rome’s cannibalization of itself is so perfect. Noticing those random little nuggets embedded in walls or as pillars inside many a Roman church never ceases to amaze me. So cool!
“They paved paradise, put up a parking lot”. The song was not about Rome but it could be. Great article Eric.
Love the analogy between archeology and journalism, great article Eric!
I read about this somewhere else recently, but you really captured the essence of the discovery and the challenges of building anything in Rome. When I was a kid, I'd say "I want to be an archeologist" and my Dad would always say, "By the time you grow up, they will have dug everything up." Obviously he was wrong, but my fascination with archeology remains 60 years on . . . It's one of the reasons why I loved living in Rome and find it eternally fascinating.
GREAT article!!!!