What is Monte Testaccio and why is it made of amphorae?

Monte Testaccio is a massive artificial hill in Rome formed almost entirely from the fragments of millions of discarded ancient Roman pottery vessels. These fragments are primarily broken amphorae that were used to transport goods like olive oil to the nearby state-controlled warehouses near the River Tiber. Over centuries of dumping, this ancient spoil heap grew to cover two hectares and stand 35 metres tall.

What we know

• Monte Testaccio is an artificial mound in Rome composed almost entirely of fragments of broken ancient Roman pottery, nearly all discarded amphorae. [1, 2]
• The mound covers an area of 2 hectares, has a volume of approximately 580,000 cubic metres, and contains the remains of an estimated 53 million amphorae. [2]
• Monte Testaccio stands a short distance from the River Tiber, near the Horrea Galbae where state-controlled reserves of olive oil were stored. [2]
• Some of the broken amphorae fragments found within the mound were labeled with tituli picti. [2]

Where to go next

• how it workedHow were Roman amphorae labeled with tituli picti?
• whereWhat was the Horrea Galbae?
• what followedHow did Monte Testaccio give its name to the Testaccio rione?
• the bigger pictureWhat are the original seven hills of Rome?
• whenWhat was the religious and military significance of Monte Testaccio later in history?
• an unexpected connectionHow does a mountain of trash connect to modern Roman neighborhoods?The discarded pottery heap directly inspired the name and the amphora coat of arms of Rome's 20th rione, Testaccio.

Sources

• [1]Monte Testaccio (Wikidata Q781595) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Monte Testaccio · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Testaccio · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Seven hills of Rome · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Santa Maria Liberatrice a Monte Testaccio · CC BY-SA 4.0