Date:

Archaeologists unearth ancient “fridge” in Roman legionary fortress

Archaeologists excavating at the Roman legionary fortress of Novae have uncovered an ancient “fridge”.

Novae was a Roman legionary fortresses along the empire’s border, forming part of the limes Moesiae along the Danube, at Pametnicite in northern Bulgaria.

- Advertisement -

In AD 86, the province of Moesia was divided and Novae, together with Durostorum, became one of two legionary bases within the borders of Moesia Inferior.

The fortress was first constructed during the 1st century AD and served as a base of operations for Roman campaigns against barbarian tribes during Trajan’s Dacian Wars in the early 2nd century AD, and during Maurice’s Balkan campaigns during the Byzantine period in the 6th to 7th century AD.

iStock 936851868
Novae – Image Credit : Shutterstock (Copyright)

For the past several decades, the fortress has been excavated by researchers from Poland and Bulgaria, with the current project led by Professor Piotr Dyczek from the University of Warsaw.

During this season’s excavations, the team found a container made from ceramic plates recessed under the floor, used by the fort’s inhabitants as a “fridge” for storing food.

- Advertisement -

Within the container, the team found pieces of ceramic vessels and small baked bone fragments, in addition to charcoal and a bowl which the team suggests may have been a censor for driving away insects.

Earlier this year, archaeologists at Novae also found a hoard of coins which were located in the strata from the period of the Goths’ raid in the middle of the 3rd century AD until the beginning of the reign of Constantine the Great, as well as entire strings of walls and the remains of a Roman dwelling containing querns, fishing weights and fragments of ceramic vessels.

PAP

Header Image Credit : P. Dyczek

 

- Advertisement -

Stay Updated: Follow us on iOS, Android, Google News, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Threads, TikTok, LinkedIn, and our newsletter

spot_img
Mark Milligan
Mark Milligan
Mark Milligan is multi-award-winning journalist and the Managing Editor at HeritageDaily. His background is in archaeology and computer science, having written over 8,000 articles across several online publications. Mark is a member of the Association of British Science Writers (ABSW), the World Federation of Science Journalists, and in 2023 was the recipient of the British Citizen Award for Education, the BCA Medal of Honour, and the UK Prime Minister's Points of Light Award.
spot_img
spot_img

Mobile Application

spot_img

Related Articles

Rare find offers new insights into ancient Dacian quarrying

A rare set of stonemason tools from the Dacian kingdom period has been discovered at Măgura Călanului in Hunedoara county, Romania.

Buried Buddhist treasures found in temple complex

The Fine Arts Department in Thailand has announced the discovery of a collection of ancient relics at the Wat Thammachak Sema Ram temple complex in Sung Noen District, northeastern Thailand.

Archaeologists finally gain access to a mystery chamber beneath Galician Castle

Archaeologists from the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine have finally gained access to a hidden chamber beneath Galician Castle, sealed for nearly 300 years. 

11th-century silver hoard unearthed in Saxony-Anhalt during forest restoration project

During a forest restoration project near Lübs in the Jerichower Land district of Saxony-Anhalt, a team of archaeologists have unearthed a large hoard of nearly 300 silver coins dating to the 11th century AD.

Prehistoric jewellery made from dog teeth discovered in Saxony-Anhalt

Recent excavations in Saxony-Anhalt have provided new insights into prehistoric burial customs, particularly the use of animal teeth as personal adornment and jewellery.

Major study transforms understanding of Roman Augusta Raurica

In advance of construction works in the "Schürmatt" district of Kaiseraugst, archaeologists have unearthed significant Roman remains in the former settlement of Augusta Raurica.

Traces of colossal statues among rediscovered Apollo Sanctuary

A sanctuary first excavated in 1885 by the German archaeologist Max Ohnefalsch-Richter has been rediscovered after details of the original find site were subsequently lost.

Hoarding provides new insights into Somló Hill people

A recent study published in the journal Antiquity has provided new insights into the people that inhabited Somló Hill in Western Hungary.