================================================
MAPS-L ** MAPS-L ** MAPS-L ** MAPS-L ** MAPS-L
================================================
RE  Internet maps reveal Roman villa
DA Thursday, Sept 22, 2005
FR Angie
TO Maps-L

** Internet maps reveal Roman villa **
An Italian man finds the remains of a Roman villa while using Google's
satellite map service to view his home.
< http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/1/hi/world/europe/4267238.stm >


** BBC Daily E-mail **
Choose the news and sport headlines you want - when you want them, all
in one daily e-mail
< http://www.bbc.co.uk/dailyemail/ >


** Disclaimer **
The BBC is not responsible for the content of this e-mail, and anything
written in this e-mail does not necessarily reflect the BBC's views or
opinions. Please note that neither the e-mail address nor name of the
sender have been verified.

If you do not wish to receive such e-mails in the future or want to know
more about the BBC's Email a Friend service, please read our frequently
asked questions. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/help/4162471.stm


Internet maps reveal Roman villa
A woman looks at a view of the Italian capital Rome on Google Earth
Google Earth offers satellite images of many parts of the world
Latest technology proved an unexpected aid to unearthing the past when
an Italian man decided to look at internet maps of his home.

Computer programmer Luca Mori found the remains of an ancient Roman
villa when he browsed Google Earth maps showing satellite images of his
local area.

His curiosity was sparked by unusual shading by his home in Sorbolo, Parma.

He contacted local archaeologists who investigated and confirmed it was
once the location of a Roman villa.

"At first I thought it was a stain on the photograph," 47-year-old Mr
Mori explained. "But when I zoomed in, I saw that there was something
under the earth."

The satellite images threw up a dark oval shape more than 500m (1,640ft)
long, as well as shaded rectangular shapes nearby.

Mr Mori decided to alert experts from the National Archaeological Museum
in Parma about his find.

After excavating some ceramic pieces from the site - now farmland - they
confirmed a Roman villa once stood there.

"At first they thought the site might be Bronze Age but a closer
inspection turned up ceramic and stone pieces that showed it was a Roman
villa built some time just before the birth of Christ," he was quoted as
saying in the UK's Daily Telegraph newspaper.

Google Earth is a service offered by the US-based internet search engine
Google, allowing users to view most parts of the world using a
combination of satellite imagery and maps.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ANGIE COPE
American Geographical Society Library
2311 E. Hartford Avenue
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201

http://www.uwm.edu/Libraries/AGSL/index.html
Hours: M-F 8:00am-4:30pm
[log in to unmask]
(414) 229-6282
(800) 558-8993 (US TOLL FREE)
(414) 229-3624 (FAX)

Map Librarian, MAPS-L Moderator
http://www.uwm.edu/Libraries/AGSL/welcome_to_mapsl%20forum.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~