The death pit appeared in front of the Pantheon temple

The death pit suddenly opened in Rome, revealing rocks used to pave the way more than two millennia ago.

The death pit is located on Piazza della Rotonda square, an area of ​​1 m2 and a depth of 2.5 meters. Inside the pit, archaeologists found 7 ancient paving stones made from travertine sedimentary rocks . No one was injured when the ground collapsed at noon on April 27 due to the normally crowded square that became deserted because of Covid-19. However, such death pits are becoming an increasingly common problem in Rome.

Death pit appeared in Rome on April 27. (Photo: Live Science).

The stones found in the death pit were born during the construction of the Pantheon temple from 27 to 25 BC, according to Daniela Porro, a Rome city official. They were designed by Marcus Agrippa, a friend of Emperor Augustus. However, the Pantheon temple and the square were completely rebuilt by Emperor Hadrian between 118 and 128. The area also underwent many renovations in the early 3rd century under Emperor Septimius Severus and Caracalla, according to Encyclopedia Britannica.

The slabs were first discovered in the 1990s when workers installed service lines in the square. The new death pit "swallowed" about 40 blocks of pebbles. The stones fell into a cellar for cables and pipes.

The death pit, also known as "voragine" in Italian is quite common in Rome. For nearly 100 years, Rome recorded 30 pitfalls each year, but the number has started to triple since 2009. For example, in 2018, the number of death pits appearing in the city reached a record level of 175 and in 2019 there are 100 holes.

The reason is thought to be due to artificial cavities from ancient times, resulting from quarrying, tunneling and tomb construction, making the ground less stable, especially after heavy rain. The most sensitive area is east of the city of Rome, where ancient mining operations took place, according to geologist Stefania Nisio, who is working on a project to map the death hole in Rome.

In addition, most of Rome is located on soft sandy soils that are susceptible to water erosion and often shaken by traffic. City leaders announced a multi-million dollar plan to repair the streets in 2018 but the project progressed very slowly. Before the project is complete, the holes of death can continue to reveal ancient structures and artifacts.

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