History and Present State
La Scatola Archeologica, which translates to the Archaeological Box, is located beneath a modern residential building on the Aventine Hill. During the construction of an underground parking lot for this apartment block, ruins of a Roman domus (house), were discovered. Preserved there are frescoes and mosaics. Among which is for example, a mosaic with a parrot or with plant motifs. For visitors, a light and sound show has been prepared. Gradually, the next interesting elements are illuminated. Thanks to this, in some places, it was also possible to „complete” mosaics to give an idea of what they looked like in their entirety. All of this is accompanied by the voice of a narrator, unfortunately in Italian. After the show ends, you can also ask questions to the person guiding the group.
It is estimated that the first signs of settlement in this place date back to the 8th century BC (i.e., the period of the founding of Rome). However, La Scatola Archeologica dates back to the 2nd century BC, and in the following years, up to the 2nd century AD, it was rebuilt multiple times. Several levels of overlapping structures have been identified here. Preserved are, among others, a residential part, rooms used for storing food, or hydraulic systems.
La Scatola Archeologica – Visiting
Visits are available only on Saturdays (specifically the first four Saturdays of the month). You visit in a group, with a maximum of 20 people. Entries take place at 14:00, 15:00, 16:00, 17:00, and 18:00. The visit is conducted in Italian. The ticket price is 12 euro. Advance reservation on the website is necessary. Generally, you can easily buy a ticket online on the day of the visit; they are available. However, it is not possible to purchase it on-site.
The meeting place is at Piazza Albania 35 (in front of the building entrance), near a gas station. There is also an option for visits in English, French, Spanish, German, Russian, Chinese, and Japanese. For this purpose, you should write to: scatolaarcheologica@archeologia.it. Unfortunately, this requires booking an entire tour slot. You need to reserve an hour for the visit.
If you are planning your stay in Rome, I encourage you to check out my other articles: Palazzo Colonna, Museum of Forma Urbis, Vicus Caprarius, Via Appia Antica, Trajan’s Market, Case Romane, Basilica of San Clemente.