Fantina Madricardo
Advances in high-resolution sonar technologies are allowing scientists to explore underwater archaeological sites in unprecedented detail. Now, Fantina Madricardo, at the ISMAR-Marine Science Institute in Venice, with researchers across Italy, have combined archaeological archive research with new multibeam sonar data to confirm the remains of a Roman road and associated features in the Venice Lagoon.
The team focused their attention on a compacted, sandy ridge under the water in the Treporti Channel near the Roman city of Altinum. The ridge represents a former beach and coastline that is now submerged under the Venice Lagoon. Along its top the researchers identified 12 linear features running in a north-easterly direction for over 1.1 kilometres.
“Previous studies in the 1980s uncovered Roman paving stones on one of the features, and the use of sonar was really helpful to map the full extent of the archaeological site,” says Madricardo. The researchers enlisted the help of the Venice state police diving team to examine the newly identified structures.
“The water is cloudy and the currents are strong,” notes Madricardo. “The divers had to go at specific tidal windows to take valuable photographs.”
The road was built directly on compacted sands, suggesting that the sea level at that time was lower than the roadway. The road probably connected Altinum to the southern part of the lagoon, and likely linked to the wider road network in the Veneto Region. Further, Madricardo and her team believe that the largest structure they uncovered, at almost 135 metres long, may be part of a Roman dock.
“Our study confirms the presence of permanent Roman settlements in the Venice Lagoon, and once again demonstrates Roman versatility in negotiating engineering projects in complex, changing environments,” says Madricardo.
However, the human modification of the lagoon inlets, the strengthening of currents and rising water levels have caused extensive erosion, and the structures are at risk. The Italian National Research Council (CNR) and Iuav University team are working closely with the Cultural Heritage Authority in Venice to capture as much detail as possible about the lagoon’s history.
