An architectural element has been unearthed in the Blue Grotto, following recent underwater investigations led by the Superintendency of Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape for the Metropolitan Area of Naples. The grotto, renowned for its luminous blue waters, is located on the coast of Capri Island.
Measuring 60 meters in length and 25 meters in width, with a narrow entrance only accessible during low tides and calm seas, the cave served as Emperor Tiberius's private swimming spot during antiquity. The Emperor had an Imperial nymphaeum constructed within the cave, adorned with statues of Roman gods.
Excavations in the 1960s uncovered statues of Neptune and Triton, now exhibited in Anacapri, along with seven statue bases recovered in 2009. Linked to the Villa di Gradola above, believed to be one of Tiberius's twelve villas on the island, the nymphaeum remains a significant archaeological site. Archaeologists have recently identified a worked stone block, possibly a sculptural furnishing of the imperial nymphaeum, submerged at a depth of 3 meters. Divers carefully transported the block through the cave opening using balloons, and it is currently undergoing further analysis at the port of Capri.
