The project “Signum Vortumni: Under the Palatine” was launched by ISAR in 2016 with an official concession from the Ministero dei Beni e delle Attività Culturali (MiBAC). The primary aim of the project is to unveil signs of Etruscan cultural and religious influence that gave rise (on this site) to the foundation of Roman civilization. Despite its central location, in the Velabrum, between the Tiber and the Palatine Hill, the area has yet to be thoroughly investigated. The upcoming season will focus on unveiling evidence of the Republican, Archaic and Regal periods preserved below the imposing visible remains of the Horrea Agrippiana built during the time of Augustus. Findings to date have been promising, but there is still much to be done and we need your help!

This year we will be presenting a sequence of lessons, both in the classroom and on-site, to provide students with the basic skills necessary to  discern and document the multiple phases site use present at the Horrea Agrippiana located at the base of the Palatine Hill. Lessons will address the history, topography, and architecture of ancient Rome with the aim of helping students recognize and identify architectural elements and material culture through hands-on training. Further lessons will focus on helping students understand the techniques of stratigraphic investigation, the use of topographic instruments, hand-drawing, and digital record-keeping.

Finally, specific lessons will also focus on ceramic, stone, and other small finds from Roman, Medieval and Renaissance periods which may come to light during the excavations. Each of these pedagogic components will combine clear, illustrated instruction by experts in the field with readings, interactive discussions, and practical applications.