Spring 2026 archaeological discoveries in Italy and beyond: from the Venetkens to Salerno's Roman theater

A roundup of recent archaeological finds in Italy and Egypt, announced ahead of the European Archaeology Days (June 12–14, 2026). In Salerno, 3D surveys by the University of Salerno beneath the Church of San Benedetto revealed the long-sought Roman theater, with circular walls, frescoes, and terracotta flooring. At Ponso (Padua), twelve inscribed cippi and a pre-Roman temple of the Venetkens culture were found during land reclamation. At Pompeii's Insula of the Chaste Lovers, a horse skeleton was unearthed in a bakery, aiding studies on animal roles and eruption dynamics. In Gela, over 70 silver coins from the 5th century BCE, minted in Gela, Syracuse, and Agrigento, were discovered at Orto Fontanelle. Off Monasterace (Reggio Calabria), a 5th–4th century BCE shipwreck with over 300 amphorae was presented at the VIII National Conference of Underwater Archaeology. In Egypt's Tell Kom Aziza (Beheira), a Greco-Roman necropolis with continuous use for over two millennia was found, including wild boar burials possibly linked to the god Seth. In Rome, nine archaeological sites restored under the PNRR–Caput Mundi program will open for free guided tours on June 2026 weekends.