Post by NeandertalMan on Nov 20, 2006 14:06:35 GMT -5
Fascinating and Humorous Article on the Naples Underground
A couple of weeks ago, Fulvio Salvi, our webmaster and senior Naples urban speleologist, accompanied well known Naples historian and university professor, Jeff Matthews, on his first visit way down into the "Sottosuolo" or underground of Naples. Matthews, an American, has lived in Naples with his Neapolitan wife for the past 30 or so years. He is a history researcher, teaches at The University of Naples, and still plays his trombone when the muse hits him.
Matthews over the years has created the web-based "Around Naples Encylopedia" in English which one can spend hours visiting. His wry humor and expatriate's point of view, joined with his amazing scholar's appreciation of history makes his smorgasbord of articles about Bella Napoli a delight to read. Jeff was also accompanied on his tour of the newly organized "Museum of the Naples Underground" by Clemente Esposito, founder of the museum and president of the Southern Speleological Society of Italy. Jeff's article about his visit below with Fulvio and Celmente packs in great information and a completely accurate thumbnail description of the warren of cavities, tunnels, aqueducts and passageways beneath the city. It also will give you a chuckle as Jeff has written it from an unwitting Troglodyte's point of view. Take a look at this great article with his photographs at:
faculty.ed.umuc.edu/~jmatthew/naples/Napoli%20Underground.htm
There is a return link to his great "About Naples Encyclopedia" at the bottom of the article!
Larry Ray
by Napoli Underground
A couple of weeks ago, Fulvio Salvi, our webmaster and senior Naples urban speleologist, accompanied well known Naples historian and university professor, Jeff Matthews, on his first visit way down into the "Sottosuolo" or underground of Naples. Matthews, an American, has lived in Naples with his Neapolitan wife for the past 30 or so years. He is a history researcher, teaches at The University of Naples, and still plays his trombone when the muse hits him.
Matthews over the years has created the web-based "Around Naples Encylopedia" in English which one can spend hours visiting. His wry humor and expatriate's point of view, joined with his amazing scholar's appreciation of history makes his smorgasbord of articles about Bella Napoli a delight to read. Jeff was also accompanied on his tour of the newly organized "Museum of the Naples Underground" by Clemente Esposito, founder of the museum and president of the Southern Speleological Society of Italy. Jeff's article about his visit below with Fulvio and Celmente packs in great information and a completely accurate thumbnail description of the warren of cavities, tunnels, aqueducts and passageways beneath the city. It also will give you a chuckle as Jeff has written it from an unwitting Troglodyte's point of view. Take a look at this great article with his photographs at:
faculty.ed.umuc.edu/~jmatthew/naples/Napoli%20Underground.htm
There is a return link to his great "About Naples Encyclopedia" at the bottom of the article!
Larry Ray
by Napoli Underground
