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11 May 2022 ( 778 views )

Roman Blue Glass Bowl Found Intact In The Netherlands

Not the Romans lived at Winkelsteeg in Nijmegen, but the Batavians, the local population. In other words, the first inhabitants of Nijmegen. They live from agriculture, like everywhere outside the city walls. “They certainly had contact with the Romans”, says Pepijn van de Geer, who is in charge of the excavation. “After all, the city was within walking distance.”

The ultimate piece of evidence is a blue glass bowl that was pulled out of the ground last year. An archaeological treasure. Completely undamaged, not a single shard is missing. “This is really special”, says the archaeologist. “The bowl is of Roman manufacture. It could have come from major cities in Germany such as Xanten or Cologne. There were glass workshops there at the time. But the bowl could also have been made in Italy.”

Such bowls were made by letting molten glass cool and harden over a mould. The stripe pattern was drawn in when the glass mixture was still liquid. Metal oxide causes the blue colour.
“This bowl was once a showpiece of early Nijmegen citizens. A masterpiece that deserves to be displayed in a museum,” Van de Geer thinks. “I have seen comparable glasswork in Italian museums.”

“For the inhabitants of the settlement on the Winkelsteeg, this bowl was a great treasure”, he continues. “How did they get it? Several explanations are possible,” says the archaeologist. “Through trade with the Romans. They were in great need of leather and bought up cattle skins.”

“Another possibility is that a Batavian served in the Roman army. They were often stationed at outposts such as Hadrian’s Wall on the border of Scotland. If they survived their soldiery, these Batavians came home with quite a bit of pay.”
During the past few months, people from the archaeological service have been investigating the soil at the Winkelsteeg. The reason is a construction project for which sewers and cables will soon be laid. It was already known that the remains of a settlement lay below ground level. Some forty years ago, a grave field was found.

Not the Romans lived at Winkelsteeg in Nijmegen, but the Batavians, the local population. In other words, the first inhabitants of Nijmegen. They live from agriculture, like everywhere outside the city walls. “They certainly had contact with the Romans”, says Pepijn van de Geer, who is in charge of the excavation. “After all, the city…

Not the Romans lived at Winkelsteeg in Nijmegen, but the Batavians, the local population. In other words, the first inhabitants of Nijmegen. They live from agriculture, like everywhere outside the city walls. “They certainly had contact with the Romans”, says Pepijn van de Geer, who is in charge of the excavation. “After all, the city…

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