MCDONALD'S FEATURES AN ANCIENT ROAD

Two thousand years after legionaries tramped along its well-worn paving stones, an exceptionally well-preserved stretch of Roman road has been opened to the public – beneath a McDonald’s restaurant.

In what the American burger chain says is its first museum-cum-restaurant anywhere in the world, the 150ft-long stretch of basalt road has been cleared, cleaned and made into a permanent attraction at Frattocchie, south of Rome.

Customers in search of a little cultural heritage along with their Big Macs and fries can descend underground and view the Roman road, as well as three ancient skeletons that were found buried in the culverts either side of it.

A transparent pavement means they can even peer down into the archaeological area while slurping milk shakes and munching McNuggets.

The unusual find came to light in 2014 when the area was being excavated for a new McDonald’s restaurant. Archaeologists were summoned and the US fast food chain contributed 300,000 euros to the three-year restoration of the site.

Experts say the paved road connected with the Appian Way, one of ancient Rome’s most important thoroughfares, which led from the capital to Brindisi on the Adriatic coast.

The stretch of road is about 150ft long and more than 7ft wide. It was built in the 2nd century BC but fell into disuse by the 3rd century AD and remained buried for more than 1,700 years. The bodies are believed to have been buried in the period after the road was abandoned.

“The skeletons belong to three men, the oldest of whom was aged 35-40,” said Pamela Cerino, an archaeologist who worked on the dig. A fourth skeleton was discovered beneath a nearby petrol station. Archaeologists found a coin in the person’s mouth, believed to be an offering to Charon, the ferryman of Roman mythology who carried the dead across the River Styx into Hades.

Signs in English and Italian explain the history of the road and its discovery. It is accessible from the McDonald’s car park, so visitors do not have to eat in the restaurant to explore the newly-opened site.

To read the complete article, see:
(www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/02/22/want-ancient-roman-heritage-stretch-roman-road-unveiled-beneath/)

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