Recent research has demonstrated that Romes most famous monument, the Amphitheatre Flavio, better known by its ancient nickname, the Colosseum, was originally brightly coloured. During restoration work on a gallery at the third level, fragments of polychrome decorations have come to light.
A wide red stripe ran along the white plaster that covered the walls and ceiling of the gallery. Restorers also found traces of blue, as well as graffiti dating back to the times of the gladiator combats featuring crowns, palms and sword tips celebrating victories, overlaid with the signatures and slogans left by later visitors over the ages.
The Colosseum is the most visited monument in Italy and is soon to be subjected to a vast restoration and consolidation project financed by Italian shoe manufacturer Diego Della Valle.
