While details are still sparse, several news agencies are reporting this morning that Italian archaeologists have discovered the first ever imperial Roman throne in excavations at Herculaneum. Until today, the shape and decorative elements of ancient Roman thrones were known only through written accounts and depictions in other media.
Significantly, the find comes from an area of Herculaneum that lies neglected and largely unexplored. Italian officials in the Antiquities ministry have been criticized in the past for not moving more quickly to excavate these areas, including the lower floors of the Villa of the Papyri which some believe could contain a vast library of ancient literary masterpieces that may be slowly disintegrating under water which has collected in the structure.
Here is a portion of the Reuters account this morning regarding the throne:
An ancient Roman wood and ivory throne has been unearthed at a dig in Herculaneum, Italian archaeologists said on Tuesday, hailing it as the most significant piece of wooden furniture ever discovered there.
The throne was found during an excavation in the Villa of the Papyri, the private house formerly belonging to Julius Caesar's father-in-law, Lucius Calpurnius Piso Caesoninus, built on the slope of Mount Vesuvius.
The name of the villa derives from the impressive library containing thousands of scrolls of papyrus discovered buried under meters (yards) of volcanic ash after the Vesuvius erupted on 24 August 79.
Restoration of the throne is still ongoing with restorers painstakingly trying to piece back together parts of the ceremonial chair. Read the full account in Reuters.
Additional photos from the BBC are available.
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