《中英對照讀新聞》A dig for a metro station uncovers a long-lost port in Istanbul 捷運車站挖掘工程發現了伊斯坦堡一個消失已久的港口

◎胡立宗

Turkish archaeologists announce today that they have discovered an ancient Byzantine port in an area that was planned to be an underground station.

土耳其考古學家今天宣布，他們在一個計畫興建地鐵車站的區域，發現一個古拜占庭海港。

They are calling the find the "Port of Theodosius," after the emperor of Rome and Byzantium who died in the year 395, and say the items they are digging up here could shed significant light on the commercial life of this ancient city.

他們將發現的港稱為「狄奧多西港」，這個名字來自死於西元395年的羅馬和拜占庭帝國皇帝。他們表示，他們在此處發掘出來的物品，將可讓人們對這古老城市商業型態有更深刻了解。

Like Romans, Athenians and other residents of the world、s great historic cities, Istanbulites can hardly put a shovel in the ground without digging up something important.

就像羅馬人、雅典人及世界上其他重要的歷史城市居民，伊斯坦堡市民只要一動鏟子挖地，大概都會挖出一些重要文物。

So far, the archaeologists have found what they think might be a church, an old gate to the city and eight sunken ships, which archaeologist Cemal Pulak says he believes were all wiped out by a giant storm more than 1,000 years ago.

到目前為止，考古學家已發現一座他們認為可能是教堂的建築，一個通往市區的古城門，及八艘沉船─考古學家浦拉克說，他相信它們都是在1,000 多年前被一場大風暴所摧毀。

新聞辭典

metro：名詞（源自法文），地鐵捷運。美國人稱sub或subway。英國人則稱underground。

to dig up：挖掘、發現、尋找。People are eager to dig up the truth.（ 人們急於發現真相。）

to wipe out：（完全）摧毀、（完全）消滅。The army was wiped out by its enemy.（軍隊被敵人完全消滅。）