article_snippet.sent: And while attempting to fix the toilet Lucian Faggiano dug into a Messapian tomb built 2,000 years ago, a Roman granary, a Franciscan chapel, and even etchings thought to be made by the Knights Templar.
article_snippet.sent: local historian Mario De Marco imagined it would take a week to dig down and fix the plumbing beneath the building, but instead, the DIY mission led to the discovery of a Messapian tomb, a Roman granary (pictured left), a Franciscan chapel - and even etchings from the Knights Templar.
article_snippet.sent: It is not unusual for religious relics to turn up in fields or in the middle of the city itself, which has a mixture of old architecture .
article_snippet.sent: For example, a century ago, a Roman amphitheatre was recently found beneath a marble column bearing the statue of Lecce’s patron saint, Orontius in the main square and recently a Roman temple was found under a car park.
article_snippet.sent: Years of excavations have seen the emergence of Roman devotional bottles, ancient vases and a ring with Christian symbols as well as hidden frescoes and medieval pieces.
article_snippet.sent: But when his sons dug down his sons hit a floor of medieval stone, beneath which was a Messapian tomb, built by people who lived in the area before the birth of Jesus.
article_snippet.sent: Upon further investigation, the family team also discovered a Roman room that was used to store grain, and a basement of a Franciscan convent where nuns were thought to have once prepared the bodies of the dead.
article_snippet.sent: After a year, work continued but had to be overseen by heritage officials who witnessed the emergence of Roman devotional bottles, ancient vases and a ring with Christian symbols as well as hidden frescoes and medieval pieces.
article_snippet.sent: Upon further investigation, the family team also discovered a Roman room that was used to store grain and a basement of a Franciscan convent where nuns were thought to have once prepared the bodies of the dead.
highlights_snippet.sent: Dig revealed a Messapian tomb, a Roman granary and a Franciscan chapel .
  
highlights_snippet.sent: Roman devotional bottles, ancient vases and a ring with Christian symbols as well as hidden frescoes and medieval pieces were also unearthed .
  
highlights_snippet.sent: The finds are believed to date back more than two centuries .