ROME, ITALY—A second-century a.d. villa has been rediscovered under Cavour Scientific High School, which is located near the Colosseum, Live Science reports. Students found the structure while exploring subterranean tunnels and notified a teacher, who contacted archaeologists. When the school building was constructed in the late nineteenth century, part of the foundation of the domus was revealed. Teacher Claudia Marino and archaeologist Filippo Coarelli of the University of Perugia said the villa is thought to have belonged to a member of the Umbrius family, based on an inscription found in the late nineteenth century. During recent work in the villa, archaeologists unearthed ceiling vaults adorned with frescoes and stucco decorations. A mosaic with large, irregularly shaped tiles was found in another room. Additional excavations are being planned. To read about excavations of a previously unknown vaulted chamber in the emperor Nero's Domus Aurea, go to "New Golden House Room," one of ARCHAEOLOGY's Top 10 Discoveries of 2019.
