A rare stone that once demarcated the boundary of ancient Rome’s sacred precinct was unearthed by workers renovating the city’s sewer system. The six-foot-tall limestone block was found embedded in the ground where it had been placed almost 2,000 years ago and is one of only 10 of its kind ever discovered. The marker, which is known as a cippus, was one of dozens that were installed around the city to mark the pomerium, a hallowed zone where activities were dictated by a strict set of rules.

(Sovrintendenza Capitolina ai Beni Culturali)
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