2,000-Year-Old Roman Bowl Discovered Intact in the Netherlands

Archaeologists working at a dig in the Dutch city of Nijmegen uncovered a well-preserved, 2,000-year-old blue glass bowl late last year, reports Anne Nijtmans for Dutch newspaper de Gelderlander. The palm-sized dish had survived centuries buried underground, remaining perfectly intact with little to no wear. Researchers and the town government announced the bowl’s discovery last week as archaeologists worked to clear the area ahead of a planned housing development, reports Francesca Aton for ARTNews.

Nijmegen is among the oldest cities in the Netherlands, according to the local Radboud University. (It may even be the oldest, though several cities claim that distinction.) Ancient Romans first established a military camp near the location of present-day Nijmegen in the first century C.E., around the time of the glass bowl’s creation. The settlement expanded and became the first Roman city in the present-day Netherlands, a designation that gave town residents Roman citizenship, per ARTNews.

Nijmegen’s modern Dutch name derives from the Latin Noviomagus, meaning “new market.” Its location overlooking the Waal river afforded Roman forces a strategic military advantage and access to trade routes, per the university.

Archaeologists suggest that the blue glass bowl might have been made by Roman artisans or carried by traders, given Nijmegen’s unique status as a hub of ancient Roman activity. Van de Greer tells de Gelderlander that the bowl may have been created in glass workshops in Germany or Italy, making it a valuable commodity for trade.

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/2000-year-old-ancient-roman-glass-bowl-found-in-netherlands-180979461/

Archaeologists discovered the bowl at the site of an ancient Roman military settlement in the Netherlands.
Courtesy of the Municipality of Nijmegen


Experts estimate that the bowl is about 2,000 years old.
Courtesy of the Municipality of Nijmegen