Large stone basin found at Gabii near Rome ^{CEFR B2}

Archaeologists working at Gabii, 11 miles east of Rome, have uncovered a large stone-lined basin partly cut into the bedrock. The structure dates to about 250 BCE, and some parts may be older. Its central position and scale imply it could have been a monumental pool linked to a forum or public space; the team views it as a major engineered feature in the heart of the city.

The basin forms part of a wider set of discoveries at Gabii. Earlier fieldwork revealed the Area F Building, a terraced complex cut into the slope of the volcanic crater around which the city developed. These features suggest Roman builders learned from Greek models such as paved plazas and dramatic terraces that combined practical use with public display.

Gabii is valuable to researchers because its oldest layers are better preserved than Rome’s; the city was first settled in the Early Iron Age, later became a rival to Rome, and was largely abandoned by 50 B.C. Italy’s Ministry of Culture designated the site as an archaeological park, now managed by Musei e Parchi Archeologici di Praeneste e Gabii, and the international Gabii Project continues long-term work. Marcello Mogetta became the project’s director last year.

Fieldwork will continue next summer with support from the General Directorate of Museums in Italy. Archaeologists plan to remove material that filled the basin, study a large stone-paved area nearby and investigate a mysterious anomaly first seen in thermal imaging scans, which could be a temple or another large civic building. Finds from the basin’s abandonment layers—intact vessels, lamps, perfume containers and inscribed cups—may indicate deliberate offerings or material discarded when the pool was ritually closed around 50 CE. By piecing these features and finds together, the team hopes to reconstruct Gabii’s growth and shed light on the development of Roman monumental architecture and urban design.