Italy’s Ministry of CultureThe 1,800-year-old artifacts discovered at the bottom of the well.
While excavating a well in the ancient city of Ostia Antica, roughly 15 miles southwest of Rome, archaeologists recently discovered a number of objects used in imperial life — some of which were linked to cult rituals.
The announcement of the discovery came from the Italian Ministry of Culture, with Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano calling the Ostia Antica site “a marvel.”
Ancient Artifacts Found At The Bottom Of A Well
Located near the Temple of Hercules in a sacred area of the Ostia Antica site, the 10-foot-deep well attracted archaeologists’ attention last year, when two fragments of the Fasti Ostienses — an ancient calendar for Roman officials — were recovered nearby.
During ongoing restoration work at the site, archaeologists sifted through water and mud at the bottom of the well and uncovered dozens of objects dating from the first to second centuries C.E
Italy’s Ministry of CultureOne archaeologist on the project on standby as another dives down into the well.
Among the objects were various ceramics, lamps, marble fragments, peach stones, and burnt animal bones. The objects were remarkably well preserved thanks to their submergence in low-oxygen mud, offering a fascinating glimpse into the past.
The bones in particular seem to point to the presence of animal sacrifices, most likely pigs and cattle. Some of the ceramic pieces also showed traces of having been burned — indicating that the meat was likely cooked at the site and consumed during ritual banquets honoring the gods.
Italy’s Ministry of CultureResearchers are unsure of the purpose of this intricate, funnel-shaped object.
Researchers also discovered a rare, intricately carved wooden object shaped like a funnel or chalice, decorated on the inside with a series of concentric circles. At the moment, researchers are unsure what purpose this object might have served.
“Ostia Antica is a marvel,” said Gennaro Sangiuliano, the Minister of Culture. “It represents one of the most important archaeological sites of our nation, within which there are great values and above all there is a great history, the history of ancient Rome.”
The Restoration Of Ostia Antica Is Ongoing
Given the importance of the finds at Ostia Antica, researchers are making a proactive effort to restore the sacred area, which dates back to the third century B.C.E.
The site is mostly comprised of the Temple of Hercules and two other, smaller cult buildings, including a round altar where priests once predicted the outcomes of military expeditions and advised generals. As such, researchers have determined that the site housed an oracular cult in its heyday.
Italy’s Ministry of CultureOne archaeologist on the project, sitting next to a collection of recovered objects.
“The restoration project of the Sacred Area, drawn up by Studio Strati and directed by the architect of the Park Valeria Casella, will soon allow one of the oldest and most evocative complexes in Ostia to reopen to the public, allowing visitors to access the Temple cell of Hercules, hitherto forbidden,” said Alessandro D’Alessio, Director of the Archaeological Park of Ostia Antica.
Italy’s Ministry of CultureAn archaeologist descending into the well to recover ancient artifacts.
The newly recovered artifacts will also undergo restoration before being placed on display at the nearby Ostiense Museum.
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