Here’s something cool — Construction Workers Find Rare Intact Roman Tomb
Based on the coin found in the tomb, which includes an image of Minerva on one side and a horse head with the word “Romano” on the other, the tomb dates between 335 and 312 B.C.E. during the heyday of the Roman Republic. Researchers have begun the process of removing the bodies from the tomb, which will be sent to the laboratory for analysis and DNA testing to determine if they are a family. A paleobotanist also collected samples of pollen and plant material to help figure out the flora of the area when the tomb was constructed. The structure itself has been documented by a laser scan and will be sealed up once excavations are complete.
Neat, eh? How would you like to stumble over 2300-year-old tombs while doing some routine construction project? I would never feel the same about digging a hole again, that’s for sure.
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My brother and his wife made a career out of construction site archaelogy. There’re firms that specialize in providing experts to examine whatever is found, investigating whether anything might be found before a dig and more. they only worked in the western US, though. (They were thrilled to be chosen for a SW Anasazi site.)
I assume Italy has similar outfits since (my impression is) the place is full of ruins. Dig and find something.
It would be nice, but I think finding dinosaur tracks is cooler.
http://dinosaurstatepark.org/parkhistory.html
Dinosaur tracks would be SUPER COOL. I am totally bummed that the geology of the Ozarks means I will never stumble on anything like that.
I had no idea there was such a specialty as construction site archaelogy. Very cool.