Monte Testaccio The most dangerous place on earth .

Monte Testaccio     the most dangerous place on Earth .

Andre Willers

15 Jun 2014

Synopsis :

Why does it still exist ? And where are the equivalents in other Roman cities ?

 

Discussion :

1.Monte Testaccio .

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monte_Testaccio

This dump of amphorae pieces has been mined for 2 000 years and is still not exhausted .

The Romans dumped about 362 amphorae per day for centuries .

http://archive.archaeology.org/0903/abstracts/monte_testaccio.html

And here it is .

For the conspiracy theorists , there was even a close-by  Roman Pyramid :

Can be seen in the Tate Gallery . Or visited . It still exists .

One dump is a resource . Two dumps protect each other . Three dumps is a sign from the gods .

 

2.Why does it still exist ?

This is a serious question .

All the other material in Rome has been reworked .

Broken amphorae makes an excellent construction material as filler between walls . The Testaccio dump should have been re-purposed centuries ago .

What gives ?

 

3. Danger and opportunity .

The dump still exists because people snuffling around in it has this funny propensity to die .

Why ?

For centuries , pathogens from all over the Roman Empire and peripheries were imported via olive oil . An ideal medium . These stewed in the Testaccio midden . A really dangerous place .

Big biohazard .

But also big opportunity . Bio material you cannot get anywhere else .

Lurking in there is Justinian’s Plagues , Black Death , and other nasties from the last 2 000 years .

Slow-brewing in the olive oil layers around the amphorae shards and midden heat .

 

4. Some other places to be careful of ancient Plagues :

4.1.Alexandria

4.2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbegal

The Barbegal aqueduct and mill is a Roman watermill complex located on the territory of the commune of Fontvieille, near the town of Arles, in southern France. The complex has been referred to as "the greatest known concentration of mechanical power in the ancient world".

This means they got stuff from all over , including diseases .

There should be amphorae middens .

But be careful . Actual toxins of the nerve variety are probably present , and still potent after millennia .

4.3.Other sites where you should wear your booties and have your insurance paid-up :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ancient_watermills

Especially Amida . http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amida_(Mesopotamia)

 

5.New Ruins .

See   http://andreswhy.blogspot.com/2014/05/evanescence-of-cities-iii.html

Hundreds of empty cities .

The danger is that human-compatible bio-forms have not been established to pre-empt deleterious bioforms .

These cities become really dangerous bio-hazard locales .

Also lots of opportunities for the intrepid entrepreneur with a good set of booties and facemask .

 

6. Old ruins like New Orleans or Detroit .

New Orleans especially should have a rich harvest of biologicals .

 

Think $Dump$

Andre

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