Ancient Roman pottery workshop discovered under Palazzo Corsini in Rome

Archaeologists from the Soprintendenza Speciale di Roma have uncovered a Roman kiln dating to the 1st–3rd century CE beneath the 18th-century garden of Palazzo Corsini in Trastevere, home of the Accademia dei Lincei. The excavation, which began in April 2018 and continued with a stratigraphic dig in February 2019, revealed a 15-by-18-meter area with complex historical layers. Soprintendente Francesco Prosperetti noted that the find reshapes understanding of urban development in this central zone, previously thought to host only patrician villas in the Augustan era. By the 2nd or 3rd century, production facilities emerged. The kiln features a concrete block with a baked clay floor that endured high temperatures, indicating sophisticated ceramic and glazed pottery production. Waste materials and glassy coating fragments suggest the site was used for both firing and glazing ceramics, transforming low-cost items into precious objects resembling glass. A deposit of oil amphorae, likely reused for rainwater collection from the Gianicolo hill, was also found. Future excavations will determine the full extent of the facility. Results will be presented in an exhibition in June 2019 at the conclusion of the Accademia dei Lincei's academic year. Visitors to Palazzo Corsini can currently view the ongoing excavation.