1,600-year-old skeleton found in a giant jar in Bulgaria may belong to Roman who hid there to escape enemy attack

Archaeologists in Bulgaria uncovered a 1,600-year-old skeleton inside a large Roman jar during an excavation. The jar, known as a dolium, likely served as a shelter for the individual during an enemy attack. The team discovered the jar in a Late Roman turret, part of the Roman colony of Deultum, on August 10. Deultum frequently faced attacks from East Germanic tribes and Huns during the fourth and fifth centuries.

The individual's remains were found alongside two iron knives and a belt, with the dolium measuring approximately 3 feet in diameter. Despite previous excavations, the team was surprised to find human remains, as such discoveries are uncommon. The site showed signs of a fire, with burned materials such as ashes, coals, broken bricks, and animal bones.

The person buried in the jar was likely a young man who was hiding from the flames and attempted to defend himself with the knives. The city likely covered the ruins with a new floor, unaware of the man in the jar. The remains will be further analyzed in Sofia, and next summer, researchers will attempt to unearth the entire western Late Roman gate.