Jan Bartek – AncientPages.com – An extremely rare and beautiful ancient gold glᴀss depicting Goddess Roma has been unearthed during construction works for the Metro C station at Porta Metronia in Rome, Italy.

The precious artifact is unique because it is the first time that any representation of Roma in gold glᴀss has ever been found, according to archaeologist Simona Morretta of Rome’s special superintendence.

Credit: Roberto Gualtieri

In ancient Roman religion, Goddess Roma was the personification of Rome and the Roman state. She is usually depicted in military form in Roman art and coinage, with a helmet and weapons. In Rome’s eastern provinces, she was often shown with a mural crown, cornucopia, or both.

According to scientists, the unearthed ancient gold glᴀss artifact” did not belong to the military barracks found during the subway works – which was abandoned in the middle of the third century and subsequently razed to the ground – with preliminary studies suggesting the glᴀss is from the start of the fourth century,” Wanted in Rome reports. The piece was originally the base of a drinking glᴀss.

According to Wanted in Rome, “gold glᴀss is a luxury form of glᴀss where a decorative design in gold leaf is fused between two layers of glᴀss.

The majority of surviving Roman examples are the cut-off bottoms of drinking glᴀsses.

“The millennial history of our city never ceases to amaze and enchant the world,” Rome’s mayor Roberto Gualtieri commented on the recent archaeological discovery.

Gualtieri also said Porta Metronia will be opened in late 2024. it will be a “metro station-museum,” displaying the archaeological finds yielded during its construction, including the gold glᴀss.

Written by Jan Bartek – AncientPages.com Staff Writer