Pompeii's ancient drains are STILL in working order and will be used again to empty rainwater into the sea 2,300 years after they were built
- The 1,500ft long network of tunnels empties rainwater into the nearby sea
- It was built in three phases dating back as far as 3rd century BC by the Samnites
- Romans updated the network of tunnels and it is still in excellent condition
- Spans from the Pompeii Forum underneath Via Marina and to the Imperial Villa
Pompeii's ancient drainage system is in such good condition that it is set to be put back into active service, despite being built almost 2,300 years ago.
A 1,500ft stretch of tunnels underneath some of the famed Italian city's most iconic structures was originally built to drain water downhill away from Pompeii's centre.
Analysis of the tunnels revealed they had been almost untouched for millennia and the complex system is still in excellent condition.
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Since 2018, the 1,500ft (457m) network of tunnels (pictured), which are big enough for a human to fit into, have been carefully assessed
Pictured, where the 1,500ft of drainage tunnels lies underneath the city of Pompeii. They carried rain and floodwater away from the city centre and into the sea
It was built in three phases dating back as far as 3rd century BC by the Samnites. The system spans from the Pompeii Forum (pictured right as FC), underneath Via Marina (pictured as VM) and ends at the Imperial Villa (VI)
Two manholes in the Civil Forum (pictured as Tombino) near the Centaur statue provide access into the drainage system. It then heads downhill underneath Via Marina and terminates near the Imperial Villa
'The entrances to the drains were blocked but since we have problems today with flooding from rain we will start using them again,' Massimo Osanna, the director of the site, told The Times.
'The fact we can do this is testament to the excellent engineering skills at the time.'
A project has seen the Archaeological Park of Pompeii partner up with speleologists — professional cave analysts — from the Cocceius Association.
Since 2018, the 1,500ft (457m) network of tunnels — which are big enough for a human to fit inside — has been carefully assessed.
A further 1,500ft of tunnels will now undergo similar analysis to determine its state and if it is fit to be used again.
A project has seen the Archaeological Park of Pompeii partner up with speleologists — professional cave analysts — from the Cocceius Association to study the tunnels
A further 1,500ft of tunnels will now set to undergo similar analysis to assess its state and if it is fit to be used again following the success of the first analysis
The system allowed excess rainwater to be drained out of the ancient city, towards the sea. The network is complex but structurally sound and the project revealed the tunnels were built in three phases
Two manholes in the Civil Forum near the Centaur statue provide access into the drainage system.
It then heads downhill underneath Via Marina and terminates near the Imperial Villa.
The system allowed excess rainwater to be drained out of the ancient city, towards the sea.
The network is complex but structurally sound and the project revealed that the tunnels were built in three distinct phases.
Initially, the system was constructed in the late 3rd or early 2nd century BC, in the so-called Hellenistic phase, by the Samnites who inhabited the city before the Romans.
It was then expanded by the Romans using their famed engineering know-how in the 1st century BC before being put on pause for almost a century.
The study dubbed this the Republican phase.
Evidence inside the tunnel showed its third and final potion was built in the years preceding the devastating 79AD eruption of Vesuvius that destroyed the city.
'The project of exploring these tunnels forms part of the activities of the Archaeological Park of Pompeii that aim to broaden our understanding of the site, which is the essential basis of any monitoring or safeguarding intervention', Massimo Osanna, Director General of Archaeological Park of Pompeii, said in a statement.
'This initial, but complete, exploration of the complex system of underground canals confirms the cognitive potential which the Pompeian subsoil preserves, and demonstrates how much still remains to be investigated and studied.
'Furthermore, many gaps in knowledge from the past regarding certain aspects or areas of the ancient city are being filled, thanks to the collaboration of experts in various sectors, which allow us to gather ever more accurate data as a result of specialised skills which had never been employed in other periods of excavation or study.'
Initially, the system was constructed in the late 3rd or early 2nd century BC in the so-called Hellenistic phase by the Samnites who inhabited the city before the Romans. It was then expanded by the Romans up until the eruption of Vesuvius in 79AD
Analysis of the tunnels revealed they had been almost untouched for millennia and the complex system is still in excellent condition
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