Berlusconi tapes may spark probe into ancient tombs

ITALIAN Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s private conversations with an escort, which have riveted Italians all week, may wind up getting him into trouble with Italy’s archaeological authorities.

In one of the transcripts of his purported conversations with Patrizia D’Addario posted on an Italian website, Berlusconi boasts about his sprawling villa in Sardinia – complete with an ice cream parlour and artificial lakes.

“Here we found 30 Phoenician tombs from [around] 300 BC,” the voice is heard to say.

The audio clip was posted on the website of L’Espresso weekly on Thursday and immediately raised theinterest of the opposition and the archaeologicalcommunity.

Under Italian law archaeological discoveries made on private property must bereported to authorities for inspection, cataloguing and possible excavation.

Italian newspapers said cultural heritage authorities in Sardinia knew nothing about the sites, which archaeologists said would be a major find if confirmed.

The opposition Democratic Party demanded that either Berlusconi or culture minister Sandro Bondi address parliament on the purported find.

“We want to know if they exist or not and, if so, whether they have beenreported,” said opposition parliamentarian Andrea Marcucci.

The national association of archaeologists said if the site existed it could reveal many aspects of early civilisations on the Mediterranean island.