The Roman aqueduct was forgotten for centuries despite being just two-and-a-half feet beneath the ground.
University of TrnavaThe Roman aqueduct may have once serviced soldiers in the region.
Archaeologists always knew that there had been a 13th-century castle on the site of Rusovce Manor House just outside of Bratislava, Slovakia. But during recent renovation works at the historical structure, they were surprised to find something much older — a second-century Roman aqueduct.
Buried for centuries — and thus well-preserved — the aqueduct is a unique discovery in Slovakian history. It hints at the country’s Roman past, though archaeologists still have questions about how the aqueduct was once used.
Discovering The Aqueduct At Rusovce Manor House
Wikimedia CommonsRusovce Manor House outside of Bratislava, Slovakia.
As reported in Slovakian media, the aqueduct was discovered during renovation work at the manor house led by the University of Trnava’s Department of Classical Archaeology. To the surprise of the archaeologists, the Roman relic was discovered just two-and-a-half feet beneath the ground.
Made of more than 50 tons of stone and Roman bricks (called tegulae), the aqueduct is in surprisingly good condition. It is almost three feet (91 centimeters) tall and about a foot (32 centimeters) wide. So far, archaeologists have traced it for an impressive 125 feet (38 meters).
University of TrnavaThe archaeological site at Rusovce Manor House, which has revealed the Roman aqueduct as well as other finds.
The bricks themselves — some of which bear paw prints left by animals as the clay dried in the sun — also offer clues about the aqueduct’s construction. One is stamped with the inscription “C VAL CONST KAR,” which archaeologists have connected with a second-century brickmaker named Gaius Valerius Constans. His workshop was located at Carnuntum in modern-day Austria.
That said, archaeologists still have many questions about the aqueduct.
How Was The Aqueduct Under Rusovce Manor House Used 1,800 Years Ago?
The aqueduct was built to slope gently down toward the present location of the Rusovce Manor House. Archaeologists believe that it brought water to an unknown structure once located under the home’s southern wing. But what was it? Archaeologists have a theory.
University of TrnavaA student archaeologist working to uncover the aqueduct.
For now, they suspect that the aqueduct may have once serviced a bathhouse used by Roman soldiers stationed in the region. It bears some similarity to aqueducts found in Vindobona, a Roman military camp located in present-day Vienna, Austria.
Indeed, the Romans were especially skilled aqueduct builders. Though ancient people in Egypt and India had constructed aqueducts, the Romans improved upon these earlier designs. They installed a network of aqueducts across pipes, tunnels, canals, and bridges to bring fresh water to heavily populated parts of their empire, largely between 312 B.C.E. and 226 C.E.
But while questions about the Roman aqueduct remain, archaeologists have made a number of other discoveries that illustrate Rusovce Manor House’s long history. They’ve found Roman ceramics imported from France and Germany, glass window panes, a silver bracelet, a medieval brick kiln, and an underground ice house, which was used to preserve food in the 19th century.
University of TrnavaIn addition to the aqueduct, archaeologists found a number of other artifacts at Rusovce Manor House spanning the last 1,800 years.
And archaeologists suspect that they’ll find even more artifacts at Rusovce Manor House. Though they’ll next pivot to the servant quarters, the archaeologists plan to return to the main house in the spring. In all, the restoration of Rusovce Manor House is expected to last until 2029.
During that time, archaeologists aren’t only preserving the manor house for future generations — they’re also digging up treasures from Slovakia’s past.
After reading about the Roman aqueduct found beneath a manor in Slovakia, discover the stories of some of the most famous gladiators in Roman history. Or, go inside the curious question of why the Roman Empire fell.
