Archaeologists uncover 1,900-year-old snacks and animal bones under the Colosseum

Archaeologists uncovered some ancient Roman remains while digging around in the sewers of Rome’s Colosseum.

Archaeologists uncover 1,900-year-old snacks and animal bones under the Colosseum.Archaeologists uncover 1,900-year-old snacks and animal bones under the Colosseum. Credit: Sam Valadi via Flickr

During a study of the drainage system under the Colosseum, they discovered fragments of bear and big cat bones, that were likely used to fight or as prey in hunting games in the ancient Roman arena.

The study began in January 2021, with the clearing of around 70m (230ft) of drains under the Colosseum.

Archaeologists also discovered seeds from figs, grapes, and melons, as well as remnants of olives and walnuts left by nibbling spectators 1,900 years ago.

The findings “deepen our understanding of the experience and habits of those who came to this place during the long days dedicated to the performances,” says Alfonsina Russo, director of the Colosseum Archaeological Park, according to Reuters.

Other finds include more than 50 bronze coins from the late Roman period, spanning around 250-450 CE, and a silver coin from around 170-171 CE to commemorate 10 years of Emperor Marcus Aurelius’ rule.

The Colosseum was the largest amphitheater in the Roman Empire until it was destroyed in 523 CE. It was well-known for hosting gladiatorial battles and other public spectacles in front of tens of thousands of people.

Related Posts

Ancient finger grooves in glittering Australian cave reveal sacred rituals of First Nations ancestors

Ancient finger grooves in glittering Australian cave reveal sacred rituals of First Nations ancestors

Researchers have just uncovered ancient finger marks—traces of sacred gestures from millennia past—deep within a limestone cave called New Guinea II, in GunaiKurnai Country in southeastern Australia….

900-year-old Viking-era carved head unearthed in Orkney

900-year-old Viking-era carved head unearthed in Orkney

An unexpected discovery during a summer excavation on the Orkney island of Rousay has fascinated archaeologists—a carved sandstone head, possibly more than 900 years old, was unearthed…

Archaeologists uncover 14th-century Genoese and Ottoman fortresses beneath Odesa’s Duke monument in Ukraine

Archaeologists uncover 14th-century Genoese and Ottoman fortresses beneath Odesa’s Duke monument in Ukraine

Archaeologists have now, at long last, confirmed the location of the long-lost Ottoman fortress of Hajibey and the earlier Genoese stronghold of Ginestra, located under Odesa’s Primorsky…

Neanderthals ate maggots and fermented meat, not just fresh meat, challenging hypercarnivore theory

Neanderthals ate maggots and fermented meat, not just fresh meat, challenging hypercarnivore theory

For generations, scientists believed Neanderthals were high-order carnivores, subsisting on large game. Their fossilized bones indicated they had high levels of nitrogen-15, a chemical marker of diets…

250-year-old shipwreck in Orkney identified as Earl of Chatham, a former Royal Navy and whaling vessel

250-year-old shipwreck in Orkney identified as Earl of Chatham, a former Royal Navy and whaling vessel

A collaborative work carried out by archaeologists and the community of Sanday, Orkney, has finally identified a strange wreck uncovered in February 2024 as the Earl of…

5,500-year-old flint workshop uncovered near Kiryat Gat

5,500-year-old flint workshop uncovered near Kiryat Gat

Archaeologists in Israel have discovered a 5,500-year-old flint-making workshop near Kiryat Gat in a salvage excavation in Naḥal Qomem, also known as Gat-Govrin or Zeita. The excavation…