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Every year, on the traditional anniversary of the founding of Rome, the Mayor reviews the events of the last twelve months and outlines his plans for the future. Last year (the 2,735th anniversary), he began by describing work in progress on conservation and mise-en-valeur in the ancient city. It was wholly appropriate, for the future of classical Rome is a subject which concerns, or should concern, not only the Romans themselves, but all Italian taxpayers (who will foot the bill), town planners and conservation groups throughout Europe—not to mention all readers of ANTIQUITY. The proposals, promoted by the Archaeological Superintendent of Rome, Professor Adriano La Regina, include the creation of an archaeological park extending from the Capitoline to the Appian Way, new museums and—as a matter of extreme urgency—the protection of marble monuments disfigured by pollution. The plans involve both local and national authorities, and in March 1981 Parliament made available over a five-year period the staggering sum of 180,000 million lire (£75 m): 168,000 m for Rome itself, 10,000 m for South Etruria (the area north of Rome) and 2,000 m for Ostia.

The Centopietre at Patù, 60 km. south of Leece (FIG. I ) is one of the most extraordinary ancient monuments in south-east Italy. It is asmall rectangular structurewith ashlarwalls and a pitched roof, built entirely ofstone. Several accounts of the Centopietre are available in Italian, notably those of Pasquale Maggiulli, who produced the first rational discussion of the building in 1912 [I], and Professor Adriano Prandi, who published the results of a detailed investigation in 1961 [2]. However, as far as we know, no account has ever appeared in English. Discussion of the Centopietre has produced two distinct hypotheses. The first, advanced by Maggiulli, holds that it is protohistoric and was built in a style derived from the Greeks; the second, argued at length by Professor Prandi, contends that it is medieval. This article describes the Centopietre and suggests that the earlier date is more likely to be correct. We reach this conclusion by relating the structure to three other monuments in the Terra d'otranto, the Cisternale at Vitigliano and the 'megalithic' tombs which formerly existed at Uggiano la Chiesa and Muro Leccese. None of these monuments has ever been regarded as medieval and we suggest that the group as a whole belongs to the Messapian Iron Age.

La cornaline, variete rouge de calcedoine, est depuis longtemps utilisee en bijouterie| les sites archeologiques du Golfe Persique ont livre de nombreux objets en cornaline: les plus anciens proviennent de Tepe Yahya et sont dates du Vmillenaire av. J.-C. L'existence de filons de cornaline dans le Golfe Persique (peninsule de Bushehr) et la decouverte dans les fouilles de Rishahr de fragments de cornaline permettent d'affirmer que cette pierre importee de l'Inde, etait aussi une production locale du Golfe Persique.