Rome’s Offbeat Archaeology Part III

Rome’s former Jewish Ghetto features some of the city’s most mysterious offbeat archaeology. Remains of ancient roman sculpture decorate the facades of buildings. Museum worthy relics share space with drain pipes and dangling telephone wires.

This weathered quartet keep watch just over the doorway of a small shop.

Blocks of ancient inscriptions have found new life by providing architectural detail.

You can find the above and other ancient gems along the neighborhood’s main strip, Via del Portico d’Ottavia. It’s next door to Teatro Marcello and a block away from the Tiber River. Here is a map.

Previous Posts In This Series:
Rome’s Offbeat Archaeology Part II
Rome’s Offbeat Archaeology

Rome’s Offbeat Archaeology Part II

A headless statue stands sentry next to traffic signs on a one-way street in Rome, Italy. Its manner is casual and I almost expect it to be smoking a cigarette, if it had a head of course.

Surrounding it are smaller remnants of sculpture. A nearby plaque commemorates renowned neo classical sculptor Antonio Canova. Born in the mid-1700s he trained in Venice and later moved to Rome where he set up a studio to produce his masterpieces.

You can find the statue and wall of sculpture pieces on the corner of Via Antonio Canova and Via delle Colonnette in the city center off of Via del Corso. Here is a map.

This is the second in a series on Rome’s Offbeat Archaeology. You can read part one here.

Rome’s Offbeat Archaeology

On the way to see the well documented sites of Rome, Italy you will casually encounter countless random antiquities. Some are easy to miss if you aren’t paying attention or don’t know where to look.

Tucked in one of the city’s many narrow cobblestone alleyways is an enormous marble sandled foot. It is believed that the foot is all that remains of a temple statue of an Egyptian god. You can find it on Via del Pie di Marmo (Street of the Marble Foot) next to Santa Maria sopra Minerva in the city center. I wonder how many people trying to park their car have bumped it by accident.

Trivia: Do you have Roman feet? If so you are in the minority. If your second toe is longer than your big toe you have them. Go on take a look. Only 10-20% of the population has Roman feet or toes, which are also known as Greek or Morton’s feet. The latter was a podiatrist who classified said feet.

This is the first in a series on offbeat archaeology finds in Rome. Here is the second installment. Meanwhile you can find out about the city’s most famous talking statue here.