This Week In History News, May 22 – 28

Published May 27, 2022

Ancient phallus carving found at Hadrian's Wall, Bronze Age funeral pyre uncovered in Italy, Roman "service station" unearthed in England.

An Amateur Archaeologist Just Found An Ancient Roman Penis Carving At Hadrian’s Wall

Roman Phallus From Hadrians Wall

Vindolanda Trust“It looked from the back like all the others, a very ordinary stone, but when I turned it over, I was startled to see some clear letters.”

Built by the Roman Emperor Hadrian in the second century C.E., Hadrian’s Wall was a massive defensive fortification that stretched across the entire width of what is now northern England in hopes of keeping any invaders out of Roman Britannia. To this day, archaeologists are finding a wealth of historical treasures from the era in which Roman soldiers were stationed at the wall some 1,700 years ago.

One recent excavation at the Vindolanda site in Hexham, Northumberland uncovered a particularly eye-catching artifact — a stone featuring a scatalogical insult made by one soldier against another alongside a carving of a phallus. To date, this is the 13th ancient Roman penis carving found at this section of Hadrian’s Wall alone.

Learn the full story behind this astonishing find here.

Bronze-Age Funeral Pyre Found Undisturbed In Italy — With The Remains Of Almost 200 People Inside

Bronze Age Funeral Pyre

PLOS ONEThe Late Bronze Age funeral pyre was left untouched for 3,000 years.

Salorno—Dos de la Forca has captivated historians for decades. The 3,000-year-old site was first discovered and identified as a funeral pyre in 1986. But only now have bioanthropologists completed excavations and offered detailed analyses of its charred contents — and learned they were the cremated remains of up to 172 people.

Dig deeper in this report.

Ancient Roman “Service Station” Unearthed In England During Soccer Field Construction

Roman Service Station

Oxford Archaeology/Pen NewsArchaeologists uncovered the service station along an ancient Roman road in Bishop’s Stortford, about 30 miles northeast of London.

Modern-day travelers often like to stop to grab a snack and stretch their legs. And, apparently, so did ancient Romans. Archeologists in England have just uncovered what was once a busting “service station” alongside a major Roman route in Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire.

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.