Excavation & Survey Component

While the geophysical survey of Portus has greatly enhanced our understanding of its layout, the results are of relatively coarse-grained resolution and do not allow us to say much about individual buildings, their chronological development, or the material culture of the people that used them. Excavation is, thus, critical in allowing us to answer fine-grained questions about the site. Targeted excavations under the direction of Simon Keay and Graeme Earl will allow us to begin to disentangle the structural sequence of the port; this is particularly important for the pre-Trajanic phase since many structures were either obliterated or built over in the course of the Trajanic transformation. Our work has also shown that Portus is exceptional in the range and volume of pottery, marble and other finds, while it is very likely that botanical remains, animal and fish bones will just as abundant. All of this material has huge potential for writing the economic and social history of the port, thereby making an important contribution to our understanding of its role and relationship to Ostia, Rome and the Roman imperial Mediterranean.

Plan illustrating the proposed excavation area for the Portus Project.

The geophysical survey component of this project, under the direction of Martin Millett, will focus primarily upon the Isola Sacra which lies between Portus and Ostia. In particular it will seek to enhance our understanding of the Roman settlement lying in the vicinity of the Medieval church of Sant Ippolito, the site of Rome's marble yards (Statio Marmorum), the Isola Sacra cemetery and the Tiber River frontage.