The Monte Testaccio

At first sight the Monte Testaccio looks like a fairly nondescript hill covered in grass, shrubs, and small trees. When you move closer however you find that the scree on the hillside is a reddish brown colour. This is because the entire hill is made from smashed amphorae and diotae, the jars used to transport liquids and grains. By the end of the 4th Century the hill was at least 100 feet high with a diameter of approximately 260 feet, and a circumference of half a mile. The goods that are known to have been transported in the jars included items such as olives, sauces, honey, salt, and linseed.

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