A MYSTERIOUS shrine used by ancient Roman cultists has been found alongside a pair “elite” tombs plundered after burial.
The major dig also revealed an ancient skull with signs of “advanced surgery” – and two enormous water tanks that were left abandoned.
Archaeologists were excavating a site near Via Pietralata in the northeast part of Rome as “preventative” dig for Italy’s Ministry of Culture before construction.
And they uncovered a treasure trove of ancient history dating back to the Roman Republic, which ran from 509 to 27 BC and ultimately transitioned into the Roman Empire.
Archaeologists also uncovered a mysterious cult room at the site, which would have served as a sacellum or shrine.
The room measured around 15ft by 18ft, with a square base coated in white plaster in the centre.
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This is believed to have been part of an altar.
They also discovered a projection on the back wall of this room, which likely would’ve held a cult statue.
The shrine was built over a site previously used for making religious offerings.
It’s likely that the room was used by members of the cult of Hercules, according to archaeologists.
Although Hercules is a Greek god – Heracles – he was adopted by the ancient Romans as a hero.
The cult of Hercules is believed to have reached Rome as early as the 6th century BC.
As well as that, archaeologists also found a burial site with two chamber tombs that date back to the Roman Republic.
The first tomb dates back to between the 4th and 3rd centuries BC.
Experts discovered a large sarcophagus, three urns, and several artefacts including a cup, jug and mirror.
The second tomb dates back to the 3rd century BC, and included the skull of an adult male.
This grisly find showed signs of surgical trepanation, which is when a hole was deliberately created in the skull as a way of treating various ailments.
It would’ve been an advanced kind of medicine at the time.
Archaeologists believe that both tombs belonged to wealthy elites, and had been plundered after burial.
Another strange discovery was the uncovering of two very large cisterns, which were built in the 2nd century BC.
Archaeologists don’t know exactly what the water tanks were used for, but believe that they were abandoned by the 2nd century AD.
The discoveries surround an ancient road that would’ve once cut right across the site.
Experts were able to uncover two sections of the road, including part of it that had been cut directly into the bedrock.
