Archaeologists made a surprising discovery during the reconstruction of the City Museum in the southern Croatian city of Split.
Hidden beneath the museum’s grand reception area, the team was shocked to discover a vast Roman bath, estimated to have been built in the 4th century AD.
The Split City Museum is housed in a former Renaissance palace belonging to the wealthy Papalić family, who settled in Split in the 14th century. The ongoing work, which includes the installation of an elevator and the reconstruction of the ground floor, is part of a European project called “Palace of Life, City of Change” aimed at revitalizing the city’s cultural center.
Split is Croatia’s second largest city, located on the Adriatic coast. The city was founded as a Greek colony in the 3rd century BC and is rich in a variety of architectural styles, from the Classical period to Gothic.
Among these treasures are the ruins of Diocletian’s Palace, an ancient complex built for the Roman Emperor Diocletian at the end of the 3rd century. Built as an imperial palace and maritime fortress, it spans 7 acres.
The more recently discovered ones are thought to have been built around the same time. According to Total Croatia News, the excavated structure contains an advanced heating system with a furnace structure and underfloor heating.
Digging deeper revealed ancient mosaics, a pool with a white mosaic floor, and oil and grape presses. Archaeologists believed this area of the city was once home to the barracks of Diocletian’s Palace and training grounds for staff and guards, head of archaeological research Neboisha Chingeri said. However, this discovery indicates that hot springs also existed.
Museum officials hope to open the excavated room to the public, but first they need to strengthen the walls and secure the structure.
“The fact that all the layers of the earliest buildings that once formed the city can be seen in the Split City Museum gives this museum an extremely rare added value,” said Vesna Brych of the Split City Museum. Director Baketich said.
“Layering starts with the layers of antiquity and continues through Late Antiquity, Romanesque, Gothic, and Renaissance. It is a paradigm in itself, right up to the 19th and 20th centuries.”
Do you have any tips for science stories? newsweek Should I cover it? Have questions about archeology? Let us know at science@newsweek.com.
rare knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom, finding common ground and finding connections.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom, finding common ground and finding connections.