A treasure underneath the vines

This recently released video shows the area they are bringing to the light and what they are discovering underneath those vines. Subtitles in Italian were translated here in this post.

Negrar di Valpolicella, 1885: some precious mosaics dating from the end of the 3rd-4th centuries AD are discovered in a vineyard called “Cortesele” and removed to being brought to a museum.  

In 1922, excavations by the Superintendence of Verona brought to light part of a Roman villa with mosaic floors of considerable value. Unfortunately, the land’s owner buried the excavation, and the work was interrupted for many years.

In 1975, in an adjacent plot of land, another mosaic is found, confirming the thesis that the site is much larger and falls on two distinct properties.

2018: the Superintendence doesn’t want to renounce the historical and cultural heritage and presents a project to the Municipality of Negrar di Valpolicella, to restore the ancient Roman villa, whose location was no longer known.

So, with the approval and the commitment of the Municipality, in 2019, the works start again. 100 years have been passed since the first excavations.

Last year (2020), the floor mosaics photographed in 1922 are brought back into view, and immediately the news makes round on international media.

In 2021, new excavations partially have uncovered the Roman Villa, confirming its size: 3000 square meters (0.7413 acres). It has architectural and decorative features similar to those in coeval aristocratic residences. The surprises though are not over yet: the digging also has revealed three skeletons of children and a thermal plant, and many other things (coins, ceramics, and so on).

Keeping on dig has made possible thanks to the collaboration between the Superintendence and two farms: the Benedetti Adriano farm “la Villa”, and the Franchini farm. Each of them owns part of the area and has allowed the researchers to go on the excavations. Many other people, institutions, companies, researchers, specialists, and students of archaeology have taken part as volunteers in this adventure, offering their support for free.

Hopefully, in the near future, they can arrange the place in such a way as to make it visible to all.