Skeleton reveals desperate last moments of young Roman
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Archaeologists in Bulgaria discovered the skeleton of a young Roman man inside a large clay storage jar dating back 1600 years.
The man apparently hid within the jar during an attack on the ancient city of Deultum, around 400 AD, likely by Germanic groups or the Huns. Professor Lyudmil Vagalinski of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences believes the man died from suffocation, clutching an iron knife while attempting to escape the invaders who set fire to the city.
The storage jar was found within a small defensive tower at the city’s western gate. After the man’s death, the tower was destroyed and covered with new flooring, concealing the jar and its contents for sixteen centuries. Deultum was a Roman colony established around 70 AD, settled by retired Roman legionaries, and became a thriving city before experiencing increased attacks in the 4th and 5th centuries.
Researchers determined the man’s huddled position within the jar indicated he was attempting to hide, not being buried. They also found traces of a fire, melted glass, coins, and animal bones surrounding the jar. The team believes that surviving residents of Deultum unknowingly covered the jar with debris, considering it part of the ruined tower when they rebuilt.
The jar itself could hold over 1100 liters of liquid or food, and was a common storage container, making its use as a hiding place unusual.
