Possible Etruscan Landing Site Found Beneath Italian Waters

A possible Etruscan port has been identified beneath shallow water off the coast of Santa Marinella in central Italy, according to Archaeology Magazine, which cited a report by Greek Reporter. The structure lies about 300 feet offshore and roughly five feet below the surface, near the remains of the Etruscan temple at Punta della Vipera. Divers led by Mauro Giorgi of Sapienza University discovered carved limestone blocks arranged in two rows that form an L-shaped feature. The area enclosed by the blocks had been filled with boulders and smaller stones. A gap between the limestone rows may have helped prevent silt from accumulating, according to the report. Researchers have proposed that the feature was a landing site for people visiting the temple, but its purpose remains a possibility rather than an established conclusion. The temple was originally built in the sixth century B.C. and reconstructed in the late fourth century B.C. Fragments of red clay tile found both at the temple and at the underwater structure provide a link between the two locations, Giorgi explained. The discovery does not confirm that the feature was a port, but its location, construction and association with the nearby temple offer evidence of a possible connection between the submerged remains and activity at the ancient religious site.