Arrr, mateys! Them landlubber UK scholars be mighty flabbergasted, for they've found a 1,700-year-old egg with yolk intact!
2024-02-13
Arrrr, 'tis a jolly find! Them archaeologists in the United Kingdom be sayin' they discovered a rare treasure, a 1,700-year-old egg from the Ancient Roman Period. And 'tis more than a shell, me hearties! It still be carryin' a yolk inside, fit for any pirate's breakfast!
Archaeologists in the UK made a surprising discovery when they found a 1,700-year-old Ancient Roman egg in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, which still had a yolk inside. The egg was found during a dig conducted by Oxford Archaeology between 2007 and 2016. It was part of a basket containing four eggs that were found in a waterlogged pit, believed to have been used as a "wishing well." Unfortunately, three of the eggs broke when they were removed, emitting a strong smell. The surviving egg underwent a micro-CT scan, which revealed its contents. Edward Biddulph, the senior project manager, described it as amazing to find the only intact egg from that period in Britain, and even more incredible that it still had its original contents. The dig also unearthed other artifacts such as coins, shoes, wooden tools, and a rare basket. Biddulph suggested that the "wishing well" may have functioned similarly to modern-day wells where people made offerings and wishes to the gods. Eggs were associated with rebirth and fertility in Roman culture. The egg is now at the Discover Bucks Museum in Aylesbury, where experts are exploring ways to extract its contents without damaging the shell. Biddulph compared the process to blowing an egg but on a much more delicate scale. The discovery presents potential for further scientific research and is considered a significant find in Roman archaeology.