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Construction crews working on a highway in Italy unexpectedly uncovered the remains of an ancient sanctuary — sparking an archaeological investigation.
The discovery was announced by the Italian Superintendency of Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape in a May 19 press release.
The sanctuary was found in Ponso, a town some 45 miles southwest of Venice.
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Construction workers from Veneto Strade S.p.A. were building a new road from Borgo Veneto to Carceri when they uncovered the site, which dates back to the fifth century B.C.
The workers were carrying out wartime ordnance clearance operations when the first artifacts were discovered.
Eventually, archaeologists uncovered large rectangular foundation structures believed to be temples, including one that appears to have been surrounded by a row of columns.
Though some inscriptions were in Latin, many more were written in Venetic script — an ancient language used by the Veneti people of northeastern Italy before Roman rule.
Many of the inscribed stones “appear to have been reused in a paved flooring structure whose function is still uncertain, while some remain in their original position,” officials said in a translated statement.
“The paving appears to have been constructed during the 1st century A.D., according to evidence currently under study,” the release noted.
“As excavations continued, new large rectangular foundation structures identifiable as temples emerged.”
“As excavations continued, new large rectangular foundation structures identifiable as temples emerged, one of which displays characteristics of a peripteral temple, surrounded by a row of columns on all sides.”
Photos from the site show ancient Venetic inscriptions, along with partially buried column fragments and stone blocks believed to be part of the temple complex.
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Some inscriptions have a “votive character,” meaning they likely served a religious purpose.
Archaeologists believe a branch of the Adige River flooded the area at some point in antiquity.
Officials said early findings suggest “continuity of use and transformation over time, rather than abandonment.”
“The site appears to have retained an important function during Roman times as well, although expressed through different forms and cultural frameworks than in the earlier phase,” the statement added.
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Researchers are actively investigating the area.
The discovery adds to a growing list of recent archaeological finds across Italy.
Last year, archaeologists in Trento found a massive Iron Age necropolis, or “city of the dead,” with burials dating back nearly 3,000 years.
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Earlier in 2026, archaeologists uncovered an ancient Roman city near the historic Appian Way, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
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