Ancient artifacts found during Greek subway construction

The construction project in Thessaloniki, Greece, began in 2003 and has led to thousands of archeological finds ranging from Roman-era roads to Greek mosaics. 

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF NOVEMBER 28, 2024 03:32

Temple of Hera II at Paestum (sometimes called the Temple of Neptune) (photo credit: BERTHOLD WERNER/CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)/VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS)

Ancient artifacts were discovered during construction on a Greek subway system, Fox News reported on Tuesday.

The construction project in Thessaloniki, Greece, began in 2003 and has led to thousands of archeological finds ranging from Roman-era roads to Greek mosaics. 

"This project offers a remarkable blend of the ancient and modern, integrating archeological heritage with metro infrastructure," said transport and infrastructure minister Christos Staikouras, Fox News cited. 

Many of the artifacts found during the excavation will be incorporated into the design of the subway station, on display for incoming passengers. 

More expensive project 

The discovery of these artifacts has reportedly added expenses to the decades-long metro project, including causing delays in the construction in order to preserve the archeological finds.

A conservator holds one of three Parthenon fragments, returned from the Vatican, at the Parthenon Gallery of the Acropolis Museum, in Athens, Greece March 24, 2023. (credit: REUTERS/LOUIZA VRADI)

"The project faced substantial delays and many challenges, including over 300,000 archaeological finds, many of which are now showcased at various stations along the main line," Staikouras explained. 

Fox News reported that this new metro, with self-driving trains and screen doors on the platforms to prevent anyone from falling on the tracks, has cost $3.1 billion to complete.