Roman soldiers occupying what’s now northern Bulgaria alongside the Danube River had to take care of all method of uprisings towards the empire, however not less than they may keep their wine fairly cool. Archaeologists have found a 2,000-year-old built-in ceramic construction they imagine was used to retailer wine and perishable meals.
It’s a uncommon discover and the second such “fridge” to be found at a former fortress on the archaeological web site of Novae. The first was discovered final 12 months: a container product of ceramic plates beneath the ground of a army barracks room. It was probably used to retailer meals, based mostly on the ceramic vessels and small baked bone fragments discovered together with it, in addition to charcoal and a bowl that will have been used to burn incense to chase away bugs.
This newest discover is noteworthy as a result of it has an extra cooling factor within the type of a lead pipe (related to a system of aqueducts) working alongside one aspect. The fragments of wine-drinking vessels, bowls, and animal bones ought to assist the group re-create the soldiers’ final meal, in accordance to group chief Piotr Dyczek, an archaeologist on the University of Warsaw in Poland.
The fortress at Novae was based across the center of the first century CE by the VIII Augustus Legion to fortify the Roman Empire’s border alongside the Danube towards barbarian invaders—most notably crushing the Thracian rebellion. It additionally served as a base for the first Italian Legion, established by Emperor Nero after the Roman-Parthian War. When Nero died, the first Italian Legion briefly fought for the eight-month emperor Vitellius, who was defeated by Vespasian’s forces. Vespasian then assigned the legion to Novae, the place it defended Rome throughout Trajan’s Dacian Wars, amongst different conflicts.
Piotr Dyczek
There are three recognized aqueducts that provided water to the fortress, and a civilian settlement steadily developed close by to home the assorted craftsmen and tradespeople who tended to observe the Roman legion throughout its travels. Novae survived a 250 CE assault by the Goths however was destroyed by barbarian assaults within the second half of that century. The legion remained, albeit in smaller detachments, rebuilding numerous small forts and civil buildings, and paving new streets by reusing previous stone. A cathedral was constructed over the fortress within the late fifth and sixth centuries, and the city finally ceased to exist as a Roman outpost within the late sixth century.
Polish and Bulgarian archaeologists have been working to excavate the location for many years, steadily revealing a headquarters constructing, a hospital, baths, and a necropolis, amongst different constructions. They have additionally discovered wells, weaving and fishing weights, reels, glass fragments, and a easy hand mill for grinding grain (a quern). Last 12 months’s work yielded a number of dozen cash, probably relationship from the third century CE to the beginning of Constantine the Great’s reign within the early 4th century.
This 12 months noticed the excavation of the army barracks believed to be related to the VIII Augustus Legion—the oldest legion within the Imperial Roman Army and the primary to be completely stationed on the Danube border. Along with the wine fridge, Dyczek’s group additionally discovered a 4th century CE ceramic furnace, yielding a set of wine cups. They additionally uncovered a small pendent that includes a silver mouse and 200 different small artifacts.