A Roman canteen from the 4th century AD. discovered at Seynod, Haute-Savoie, France.
Archaeologists from the National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (INRAP) were excavating the site near a future commercial area when they unearthed the remains of a Roman-era sacred precinct with at least two, perhaps three small temples and 42 pits in which religious offerings were deposited. The canteen was found in one of them.
It is an iron and copper alloy flask called a laguncula that was part of the standard gear of the Roman legionary. It is one of only three ever discovered in Gaul one of very few complete ones ever found anywhere.
The canteen had a padlock, suggesting that it was used to carry something more meaningful than the water or oil that legionaries carried with them on campaigns. By an extreme stroke of archaeological good fortune, the flask contains organic residue. Researchers were able to draw four samples of it during the conservation process. Analysis revealed that it was mostly millet with small quantities of blackberries and dairy. There are also traces of pitch from a conifer and plant material with high levels of oleanolic acid (olive or olive oil, I’d guess). All the ingredients had been heated or cooked together. This was almost certainly a food offering.
Archaeologists from the National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (INRAP) were excavating the site near a future commercial area when they unearthed the remains of a Roman-era sacred precinct with at least two, perhaps three small temples and 42 pits in which religious offerings were deposited. The canteen was found in one of them.
It is an iron and copper alloy flask called a laguncula that was part of the standard gear of the Roman legionary. It is one of only three ever discovered in Gaul one of very few complete ones ever found anywhere.
The canteen had a padlock, suggesting that it was used to carry something more meaningful than the water or oil that legionaries carried with them on campaigns. By an extreme stroke of archaeological good fortune, the flask contains organic residue. Researchers were able to draw four samples of it during the conservation process. Analysis revealed that it was mostly millet with small quantities of blackberries and dairy. There are also traces of pitch from a conifer and plant material with high levels of oleanolic acid (olive or olive oil, I’d guess). All the ingredients had been heated or cooked together. This was almost certainly a food offering.
"Apollo and Daphne", Jakob Auer
📸 Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria.
📸 Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria.
Livraria Lello, Oporto, Portugal
Founded in 1881, it’s one of the oldest bookstores in the world and is known for its stunning Neo-Gothic interior, featuring a grand staircase, stained glass windows, and ornate ceilings. The bookstore was voted “the Most Beautiful Bookstore in the World” by the 1000 Libraries Community in 2023.
Founded in 1881, it’s one of the oldest bookstores in the world and is known for its stunning Neo-Gothic interior, featuring a grand staircase, stained glass windows, and ornate ceilings. The bookstore was voted “the Most Beautiful Bookstore in the World” by the 1000 Libraries Community in 2023.