Using Google Maps to Find An Ancient Roman Villa In Your Backyard

Posted by: Chris Steins

20 September 2005 - 1:00pm

An Italian enthusiast examning maps of the region around his home using two new Google mapping products discovers the remains of an ancient Roman Villa.

"Using satellite images from Google Maps and Google Earth, an Italian computer programmer has stumbled upon the remains of an ancient villa. Luca Mori was studying maps of the region around his town of Sorbolo, near Parma, when he noticed a prominent, oval, shaded form more than 500 metres long. It was the meander of an ancient river, visible because former watercourses absorb different amounts of moisture from the air than their surroundings do."

Full Story: Enthusiast uses Google to reveal Roman ruins

Source: Nature, October 3, 2005