alternatively spelled known artificial mound rome composed entirely italian fragments broken dating time labelled largest found ancient world covering area square metres base volume approximately cubic metres containing remains estimated million nearly kilometre stands metres high probably considerably higher ancient times stands short distance away east bank near state controlled reserve olive oil stored late 2nd century mound later religious military significance structure purpose huge numbers broken illustrate enormous demand oil imperial rome time world largest city population million people estimated hill contains remains million olive oil billion litres billion imperial gallons billion gallons oil imported studies hill composition suggest rome imports olive oil reached peak end 2nd century deposited site year vast majority vessels capacity imp gal gal estimated rome million million imperial gal million gal olive oil annually vessels found appear represent mainly state sponsored olive oil imports likely considerable additional quantities olive oil imported privately simply waste dump highly organised carefully engineered creation presumably managed state administrative authority excavations carried showed mound raised series level retaining walls nearly intact filled anchor place probably carried mound intact backs broken spot laid stable pattern lime appears broken smell oil oldest parts mound difficult certainty created deposits found dated period approximately possible dumping begun site early 1st century mound roughly triangular shape comprising distinct platforms eastern oldest distinct series built stepped arrangement layers small laid places possibly serve paths carrying waste disposal operations use disposal hill constructed fragments large imp gal gal vessels region modern spain type known included smaller numbers types libya types vessel transport olive oil clear built olive oil vessels oil probably bulk containers port way staples grain equivalent mound broken grain wine overwhelming majority found single type raises question romans found necessary dispose way possibility principal type found unusually difficult types carry type product modified serve different purpose instance drain pipes flower chips use type concrete widely building material simply broke large curved fragments readily reduced small likely difficulty meant economical reason cycling olive oil concrete type fragments oil oil happens react lime major component concrete product chemical reaction soap resulting concrete unsatisfactory quality wheat wine hand certainly clean concrete provided archaeologists rare insight ancient roman economy deposited mound labelled painted stamped inscriptions record information weight oil contained vessel names people weighed documented oil district oil originally allowed archaeologists determine oil vessels imported state authority designated distribution people rome distribution army inscriptions found century vessels specifically record oil contained delivered official charge state run food distribution service possible managed tend follow standard pattern indicate rigorous system inspection control trade deter fraud weighed weight marked outside vessel export merchant noted followed line giving weight oil contained previously determined weight vessel responsible carrying monitoring weighing signed names location farm oil originated noted maker identified stamp vessel handle inscriptions provide evidence structure oil export business apart single names inscriptions list combinations father son partners suggests involved members joint enterprises small workshops involving business partners father son teams skilled later history use dump ceased city moved new type introduced time transport olive oil area hill largely abandoned fall rome print depicts standing isolation area ancient city walls late mid-19th century surrounding area little romantic desert situated houses scene tournaments middle ages scene pre celebrations festivities filled pigs hauled hill allowed run steep slope smashed pieces passengers watching pigs spot carry parts eaten place recreation visited 19th century traveller visiting years earlier described annual festival held summit hill sunday thursday month october population rome rich poor spot tables covered wine drawn cool impossible conceive scene summit hill presents gay groups dancing circles surround tables immense crowd leaving carriages enjoy scene hill gained brief military significance site italian gun battery command successful defence rome attacking french army economic significance somewhat greater hill interior discovered unusual cooling properties investigators attributed ventilation produced structure ideal wine storage caves excavated wine cool heat roman summer religious significance good friday represent hill jerusalem pope lead procession summit placed crosses represent jesus thieves alongside crowned cross commemoration event world war area hill redeveloped working class neighbourhood archaeological investigation began january german archaeologist published results pioneering study important work carried 1980s spanish archaeologists
Monte Testaccio