A significant 2,500-year-old sanctuary dedicated to the goddess Minerva has been discovered during excavations in the ancient Roman city of Aquileia, Italy. Known as the 'Temple of the Weaver,' the site has yielded hundreds of intact terracotta loom weights and bronze spindles offered as votives by the city's textile workers.
The temple's floor features a rare pebble mosaic depicting the myth of Arachne, dating back to the late Republican era. This finding provides a direct link between the local economy of the Roman colony and its religious life, indicating that the sanctuary served as a both a sacred space and a communal hub for the city’s influential weaving guilds.