Cities are continually built and rebuilt in layer upon layer, much of which is invisible. We've heard of the catacombs of Rome and Paris and have seen or read about the Temple of Mithras, an important Roman ruin discovered on Walbrook Street in London during rebuilding work after World War II. Archaeologists know about the cities under cities that can be found by digging, and the growing ranks of urban explorers use spelunking skills and equipment to visit often off-limits or hidden, underground city sites. If these topics fascinate you, then a new book, Beneath the Metropolis: The Secret Lives of Cities (2006, $29.95, Carroll & Graf) by Alex Marshall should be right up your alley."
The book looks at many different cities, but also considers "Polluted sands rotting away the foundations of Cairo".
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