World News for Students of English

30-08-2024 15:00

The remains of the ancient town of Pompeii have always been a reference point for archaeologists to study how the Romans lived and how they built their towns and cities.

However, radar technology is now helping archaeologists explore a Roman town without breaking ground.

The ancient Roman town of Falerii Novi, 31 miles north of Rome in the Italian region of Lazio, has remained hidden beneath the soil until now. Falerii Novi was first occupied in 241 BC, and it is roughly half the size of Pompeii.

Archaeologists used advanced ground penetrating radar, GPR, which helped them scan the town at different depths. The team discovered a baths complex, a market, a temple, a theater, and even a sprawling network of water pipes.

GPR has major implications for archaeologists who study ancient cities that cannot be excavated because of modern structures.

Difficult words: penetrate (to get through something), sprawl (when something is over a large area), implication (an idea that is not outwardly stated), excavate (to remove earth to find something buried in the ground).

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