Late Roman monumental works now lost?

[M. Demetrius]

Right, which is why we have ANYthing left to look at that doesn't have to be excavated in the first place. The trend these days seems to be toward spending less on saving historical artifacts and more on wanton or incidental destruction of historical records/artifacts.

[M. Demetrius]

MOST countries, maybe, Evan. This topic came up while the site was undergoing revision, then my computer Internet access was limited. Now, check this out.

http://www.pasthorizonspr.com/index.php/...yan-temple

It's not as old as Late Roman, but it is just as irreplaceable. Because they were building something. Free materials. Sigh.

[ValentinianVictrix]

In response to Michael's question, I think the metal cover on the left of the wall underneath the newly constructed stairs can allow access to the fragments under the glass but its very low and a person of my height (6' 5") would probably have to limbo through it!

I took a photo of what appears to be fragments of column material etc and its on the first page of this thread. I think these were excavated from the foundations and just left in a pile around the back. It may well be that the fragment with the Suppliant Soldiers on it may have been put with these other fragments and someone took it. One hopes the university has stashed it somewhere but I would not bank on it.

[ValentinianVictrix]

I'd like to hit these guys over the head with a crowbar, to be honest.

But that's illegal, so moving on...

I think that something really needs to be done about this, and that the Turkish people need to take the elements of cultures besides their own into consideration regarding historical works. Covering up a brick is one thing, but what's next? Tearing down the Theodosian walls for apartment blocks?

Evan, what exactly do you think the Ottomans did with the missing sections of the Theodosian walls? Your question is not far off the mark!

[Robert Vermaat]

Evan, what exactly do you think the Ottomans did with the missing sections of the Theodosian walls? Your question is not far off the mark!

Perhaps not for apartment blocks, but for the reuse of the stone, I presume. Which is what's happened to most Roman buildings here as well. Stone is a commodity. Culture is a luxury.

[ValentinianVictrix]

Evan, what exactly do you think the Ottomans did with the missing sections of the Theodosian walls? Your question is not far off the mark!

Perhaps not for apartment blocks, but for the reuse of the stone, I presume. Which is what's happened to most Roman buildings here as well. Stone is a commodity. Culture is a luxury.

I live in an area of Kent that has many Roman remains, including walled forts (Canterbury, just 18 miles away still has a large section of its Roman walls remaining). The locals here used much of the remains to build their houses and cottages. One prime example of this is Portus Lemanus, a Roman port and small town that was in use up to the 5th Century AD. 17th & 18th Century drawings and paintings show that much of the walls and buildings were intact, but go there today and not much is visible. The locals tore down the walls to make cottages from the flints. I can take people down to Hythe, New Romney and the surrounding villages and point out to them the cottages and houses made from flint from the Roman walls.

Not a case of progress but making use of something that had no use to the locals other than building materials.
It would not happen now but we have a different mindset here now.

[M. Demetrius]

It would not happen now but we have a different mindset here now.

Glad you've made the change!

Mayan, Inca, Roman, Amerindian, Egyptian--all these and many other historical cultures have a lot to teach us today. We also owe our children's children the opportunity to see more than just an image of these sites and constructions. We are, of course, the stewards of what's around us.

OTOH, as often said, "Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it."
And, "Those who DO learn from history are doomed to watch those who don't learn repeat it."

[Flavivs Aetivs]

Some people in Mexico just tore down a maya city recently for farmland or something while deforesting part of a jungle.