1,600-year-old skeleton found in a giant jar in Bulgaria may belong to Roman who hid there to escape enemy attack
Live Science · 2026-09-02
Archaeologists in Bulgaria have discovered a 1,600-year-old human skeleton inside a giant Roman storage jar, known as a dolium, at Deultum's western Roman gate. The remains, likely belonging to a young Roman man, were found with two iron knives and a belt, suggesting he may have climbed into the container to hide or seek shelter during an enemy attack around A.D. 400. This unusual burial within ancient city limits points to "extraordinary circumstances" like an attack, with evidence of burned materials, ashes, and domestic animal bones found around the dolium. The individual likely entered the jar after a fire had already started, possibly holding one knife for defense and carrying another on his belt.