#nijmegen
2,000 year old glass bowl !
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. The palm-sized dish had survived centuries buried underground, remaining perfectly intact with little to no wear.
The item is distinguished by its pattern of vertical stripes. “Such dishes were made by allowing molten glass to cool and harden over a mold,” lead archaeologist Pepijn van de Geer tells de Gelderlander, per an ARTNews translation. “The pattern was drawn in when the glass mixture was still liquid. Metal oxide causes the blue color.”
Nijmegen is among the oldest cities in the Netherlands. 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.
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. The bowl may have been created in glass workshops in Germany or Italy, making it a valuable commodity for trade.
Researchers at Winkelsteeg have also unearthed tombs, dishware and jewelry.
Words by Nora McGreevy
Image Courtesy of the Municipality of Nijmegen
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