This Week In History News, Mar. 26 – Apr. 1

Published March 31, 2023

Ancient Roman cult room found in England, 1,800-year-old trash dump discovered in France, thousands of mummified animals unearthed in Egypt.

1,800-Year-Old Roman Chamber With An Altar Once Used By Fertility Cults Found Underneath A Cathedral In England

Roman Shrine Found In Leicester England

ULASMeasuring just 13 feet across and accessible only by a narrow passageway, this concealed chamber was presumably used by “fertility and mystery cults” to hold intimate ceremonies in honor of deities like Bacchus, god of wine and ecstasy.

Archaeologists in England just uncovered an ancient Roman chamber used for cult ceremonies hidden right below Leicester Cathedral. Measuring just 13 feet across and accessible only by a narrow passageway, this subterranean room was presumably used by “fertility and mystery cults” to hold intimate rituals in honor of deities like Bacchus, god of wine and ecstasy. Researchers even uncovered the surviving half of the chamber’s altar, measuring in at nearly a foot high and adorned with decorative moldings on three sides.

See more from this astonishing discovery here.

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Archaeologists Sifting Through A Roman Trash Heap Just Uncovered A Trove Of Artifacts Up To 1,800 Years Old

Venus Statuette

InrapSeveral statuettes depicting the goddess Venus were found at the site, along with numerous other relics.

Archaeologists in France have discovered a trove of relics dating back to 1,800 years ago, including figures of the goddess Venus, coins, and clothespins. The discovery was made in the French city of Rennes, in a Roman shale quarry that was later repurposed as a trash dump.

Researchers determined that this quarry-turned-dump was likely important in constructing Rennes, then known as Condate Riedonum, at the time of its founding during the first century C.E.

Dig deeper in this report.

Archaeologists Uncover Thousands Of Ram Heads Inside An Ancient Egyptian Temple Dedicated To Ramses II

Ancient Egyptian Ram Heads

Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities/FacebookThe remains were an offering to Ramses II 1,000 years after his death.

A team of archaeologists from New York University’s Institute for the Study of the Ancient World just made an incredible find in Abydos, Egypt: thousands of animal remains, including 2,000 ram heads. These mummified body parts were made as offerings to the Egyptian pharaoh Ramses II long after his death.

The animals — which also included goats, dogs, cows, deer, and an ostrich — were uncovered in a newly discovered warehouse room in an ancient temple dedicated to Ramses II.

Read on here.

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All That's Interesting
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Established in 2010, All That's Interesting brings together a dedicated staff of digital publishing veterans and subject-level experts in history, true crime, and science. From the lesser-known byways of human history to the uncharted corners of the world, we seek out stories that bring our past, present, and future to life. Privately-owned since its founding, All That's Interesting maintains a commitment to unbiased reporting while taking great care in fact-checking and research to ensure that we meet the highest standards of accuracy.
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John Kuroski
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John Kuroski is the editorial director of All That's Interesting. He graduated from New York University with a degree in history, earning a place in the Phi Alpha Theta honor society for history students. An editor at All That's Interesting since 2015, his areas of interest include modern history and true crime.