Archaeologist accidentally lets off 'world's oldest' stink bomb during excavation

An archaeologist lets off the world's oldest stink bomb after he accidentally cracked open a 1,700-year-old Roman egg during an excavation project in Buckinghamshire. According to reports, the team of Archaeologists have been involved on a nine-year-long excavation project on the Barryfield housing estate located near Aylesbury, the county town of Buckinghamshire, which is next to the ancient Roman settlement of Fleet Marsdon.

Roman-era bird eggs

The team came across a number of things such as four fragile bird eggs dating back to the third century. However, three out of the four eggs were in a broken state when they were retrieved from the pit, which released a stinking smell. The fourth egg is said to be the only remaining evidence of its kind in the United Kingdom and probably survived the ravages of time because of being kept in a waterlogged pit.

A project manager working with Oxford Archaeology South, Biddulph, stated that people from the third century used to throw items into the waterlogged pit for good luck that explained the reason behind the objects that were found in the pit.

Biddulph further added that the pit was waterlogged, because of which many of the preserved organic objects were found in a remarkable state. Eggshells have been found across other Roman sites in the UK, but it was for the first time that an intact egg was found.

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Reflection of ancient Rome

According to reports, eggs in Roman society were seen as a symbol of fertility and rebirth. The team of Archeologists behind the dig is of the opinion that the eggs may have been placed in the pit as part of offerings in a religious ceremony.

Other items found in the excavation included tools made of wood, leather shoes and a basket. A researcher from Oxford Archaeology said that the findings have helped by painting a clear picture of life in Roman Fleet Marston and its surrounding villages.

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In a different incident, archeologists found an ancient Roman chariot that was buried in a ritualistic fashion along with two horses. The fossilised remains were unearthed in a big burial chamber that may have belonged to an extremely rich family. They found the chariot (cisium) at an archaeological site known as Jankovacka Dubrava located near the village of Stari Jankovici in eastern part of Croatia.

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(With inputs from agencies)