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00:00:02,336 --> 00:00:03,670
Below the Italian
town of Tivoli,
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00:00:03,754 --> 00:00:08,175
a cave exploration reveals
a remarkable discovery.
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00:00:08,258 --> 00:00:13,096
What they discovered
was a complete surprise.
4
00:00:13,180 --> 00:00:16,308
So just how old were
these mysterious passageways
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00:00:16,391 --> 00:00:18,227
and what were they used for?
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00:00:18,310 --> 00:00:20,062
Archaeologists
conducting a survey
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00:00:20,145 --> 00:00:25,067
below the city of Nuremberg
make a grim discovery.
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Whatever killed these
people, it was indiscriminate
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00:00:27,736 --> 00:00:31,240
and affected an entire
cross-section of the community.
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00:00:31,323 --> 00:00:34,952
Was every individual
really a victim of the plague,
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00:00:35,035 --> 00:00:37,412
or did something else kill them?
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00:00:37,496 --> 00:00:39,665
Beneath London's
bustling streets,
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00:00:39,748 --> 00:00:41,917
a surprising structure
is found.
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Archaeologists
from the Museum of London
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00:00:44,253 --> 00:00:48,090
discovered the foundations
of a much older building.
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Its footprint
would have been the size
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of an Olympic swimming pool.
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So who built this place
and what was it used for?
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00:00:57,307 --> 00:01:00,227
Below the busy
streets of the world's cities
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00:01:00,310 --> 00:01:04,064
exists a hidden
realm of wonder.
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Sprawling ancient complexes,
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00:01:08,026 --> 00:01:10,571
mysterious tombs,
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00:01:10,654 --> 00:01:13,782
top-secret military bases,
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00:01:13,865 --> 00:01:16,243
strange structures,
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00:01:16,326 --> 00:01:18,620
and lost artifacts
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buried beneath our feet
and long forgotten
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until now.
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Underground marvels are exposed
to reveal what lies...
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Hidden Beneath the Cities.
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Around 20 miles northeast of
Rome lies the town of Tivoli,
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00:01:38,724 --> 00:01:41,727
where the Aniene River,
a tributary of the Tiber,
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cascades and waterfalls as it
descends from the Sabine Hills.
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At about 750 feet
above sea level,
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the town offers sweeping views
of the Roman countryside below.
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{\an8} Tivoli is perched
on a long limestone ridge,
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and over the thousands of years,
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the Aniene River has carved
a valley into the formation.
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00:02:03,540 --> 00:02:07,711
As a result, the surrounding
terrain is rich with travertine,
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00:02:07,794 --> 00:02:11,173
which is a type of limestone
formed from the combination
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00:02:11,256 --> 00:02:15,636
of river and spring water
with calcium carbonate.
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00:02:15,719 --> 00:02:18,347
Also known as Roman travertine,
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00:02:18,430 --> 00:02:21,808
the sedimentary rock is
an ideal building material.
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00:02:21,892 --> 00:02:25,687
And it's been used for such
landmarks as the Colosseum,
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00:02:25,771 --> 00:02:31,193
the Theatre of Marcellus,
and St. Peter's Basilica.
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{\an8} During the era
of the Roman Republic,
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00:02:33,570 --> 00:02:36,657
{\an8}Tivoli became a favorite summer
retreat for wealthy elites
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00:02:36,740 --> 00:02:38,533
and leaders who wanted to escape
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00:02:38,617 --> 00:02:41,953
the bustle and the politics
of Rome.
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00:02:42,037 --> 00:02:46,208
In 118 CE, the most famous
of these, Emperor Hadrian,
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00:02:46,291 --> 00:02:48,877
began building
an expansive villa
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00:02:48,960 --> 00:02:52,130
located on the plains of Tivoli.
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In more recent
years, the area has provided
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00:02:54,883 --> 00:02:56,802
hundreds of fascinating
discoveries
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00:02:56,885 --> 00:02:59,221
for historians
and archaeologists.
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And while most of the landscape
has been explored
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00:03:01,723 --> 00:03:02,891
and well-documented,
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00:03:02,974 --> 00:03:05,435
there remains a few
undiscovered locations
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00:03:05,519 --> 00:03:07,854
waiting to be excavated,
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00:03:07,938 --> 00:03:12,984
{\an8}and waiting to reveal secrets
from the area's rich past.
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A team of amateur
caving enthusiasts
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00:03:15,529 --> 00:03:18,365
is doing a preliminary survey
near Tivoli,
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00:03:18,448 --> 00:03:21,159
a few miles southwest
of the archaeological site
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00:03:21,243 --> 00:03:26,790
at Hadrian's Villa, when they
encounter something unexpected.
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00:03:26,873 --> 00:03:28,417
There was a small
hole in the ground
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that had been
concealed by bushes.
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00:03:30,669 --> 00:03:32,671
{\an8}The sun's rays created
a shaft of light
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{\an8}that lit up
a cavernous space below.
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So, naturally curious about
whatever was down there,
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00:03:39,094 --> 00:03:41,680
they rappelled
into the darkness.
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What they discovered
was a complete surprise.
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00:03:48,103 --> 00:03:51,106
The open space appeared
to be the main gallery
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00:03:51,189 --> 00:03:55,402
of several underground
tunnels or passageways.
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00:03:55,485 --> 00:03:57,779
Most of the tunnels
were fairly narrow,
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00:03:57,863 --> 00:04:02,284
the smallest almost too narrow
to fit an adult human.
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00:04:02,367 --> 00:04:06,455
And others were as wide
as seven feet in diameter.
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00:04:06,538 --> 00:04:09,875
Almost all of them
were filled to the top
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00:04:09,958 --> 00:04:14,296
with centuries' worth
of debris and dirt.
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00:04:14,379 --> 00:04:16,465
The most shocking thing
about these tunnels
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00:04:16,548 --> 00:04:20,218
was the simple fact that they
were uncharted and unexplored.
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00:04:20,302 --> 00:04:23,472
The existence of other tunnels
had been known for some time,
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00:04:23,555 --> 00:04:28,643
but these didn't appear
on any historical record.
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00:04:28,727 --> 00:04:31,563
So just how old were these
mysterious passageways,
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00:04:31,646 --> 00:04:34,232
and what were they used for?
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00:04:34,316 --> 00:04:36,985
The sheer amount
of debris filling the tunnels
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00:04:37,068 --> 00:04:40,238
is just one of the challenges
to solving the mystery.
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00:04:40,322 --> 00:04:42,574
The approach used
for clearing and assessing
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00:04:42,657 --> 00:04:44,367
the tunnels was two-pronged:
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00:04:44,451 --> 00:04:47,329
first, the traditional
but time-consuming method
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00:04:47,412 --> 00:04:49,831
of manually filling up
buckets with dirt
90
00:04:49,915 --> 00:04:54,336
and sending them to the surface
on a rappelled pulley system.
91
00:04:54,419 --> 00:04:58,799
At the same time, several types
of robots, some with cameras,
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00:04:58,882 --> 00:05:00,175
were sent into the tunnels
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00:05:00,258 --> 00:05:04,137
that were too small
for any human to access.
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00:05:04,221 --> 00:05:05,597
As the excavations
progressed,
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00:05:05,680 --> 00:05:09,017
it became clear the structures
were in pristine condition
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00:05:09,100 --> 00:05:11,353
and almost entirely intact.
97
00:05:11,436 --> 00:05:14,439
More surprisingly, the initial
passageways turned out to be
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00:05:14,523 --> 00:05:18,527
part of a much larger
and longer network.
99
00:05:18,610 --> 00:05:21,530
The biggest surprise
was the discovery
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00:05:21,613 --> 00:05:25,951
of a four-sided passageway
of connected tunnels
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00:05:26,034 --> 00:05:28,870
called the Grand Trapezio.
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00:05:28,954 --> 00:05:32,791
The four tunnels contained
separate chambers, or stalls,
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00:05:32,874 --> 00:05:38,046
cut into them with rounded
ceilings called a barrel vault,
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00:05:38,129 --> 00:05:40,549
similar in shape
to the tombs and chambers
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00:05:40,632 --> 00:05:42,884
of underground catacombs.
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00:05:42,968 --> 00:05:48,056
So is it possible that this
network of secret passageways
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00:05:48,139 --> 00:05:51,560
was a massive
underground necropolis?
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00:05:51,643 --> 00:05:53,228
It wouldn't be
the first evidence
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00:05:53,311 --> 00:05:54,729
of Roman catacombs discovered
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00:05:54,813 --> 00:05:57,148
on the outskirts
of the capital city.
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00:05:57,232 --> 00:06:01,027
Tunnels and tombs were built
into the soft volcanic rock
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00:06:01,111 --> 00:06:06,074
and used for burials from
the 2nd to the 5th century.
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00:06:06,157 --> 00:06:07,909
The catacombs
were used by Jews,
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00:06:07,993 --> 00:06:11,079
but particularly by
early Christians in Rome
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00:06:11,162 --> 00:06:13,206
when it was illegal for them
to worship in public
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00:06:13,290 --> 00:06:15,584
and illegal for anyone
to bury their dead
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00:06:15,667 --> 00:06:17,127
within the city walls.
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00:06:17,210 --> 00:06:20,672
The elaborate tunnels contained
maze-like pathways
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00:06:20,755 --> 00:06:22,132
and chambers for worship,
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00:06:22,215 --> 00:06:27,804
but the main feature was the
niches for the wrapped bodies.
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00:06:27,888 --> 00:06:29,222
One of the largest of these
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00:06:29,306 --> 00:06:32,934
was the Catacomb of Callixtus,
located on the Appian Way,
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00:06:33,018 --> 00:06:35,437
under four miles
from the center of Rome.
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00:06:35,520 --> 00:06:36,980
It's believed
to have been created
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00:06:37,063 --> 00:06:39,649
by the future Pope Callixtus I,
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00:06:39,733 --> 00:06:41,610
who at the beginning
of the 3rd century
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00:06:41,693 --> 00:06:44,696
was appointed as the
administrator of the cemetery.
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00:06:44,779 --> 00:06:47,407
And the catacombs became
the official cemetery
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00:06:47,490 --> 00:06:50,201
of the Church of Rome.
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00:06:50,285 --> 00:06:52,621
The Catacomb of
Callixtus features a network
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00:06:52,704 --> 00:06:56,291
of galleries and tombs
over 10 miles long,
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00:06:56,374 --> 00:06:58,793
and contains at least 15 popes,
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00:06:58,877 --> 00:07:01,713
most of whom were buried
in one central crypt
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00:07:01,796 --> 00:07:03,757
nicknamed The Little Vatican.
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00:07:03,840 --> 00:07:07,802
But the site at Tivoli
shows no further evidence
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00:07:07,886 --> 00:07:09,220
of being a catacomb.
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00:07:09,304 --> 00:07:12,265
The rounded barrel vault
openings only appear
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00:07:12,349 --> 00:07:15,018
in one section
of the tunnel network,
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00:07:15,101 --> 00:07:19,314
which meant they were likely
created for another purpose.
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00:07:19,397 --> 00:07:22,233
As the excavation
of the Tivoli site progresses,
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00:07:22,317 --> 00:07:25,153
efforts to determine
the tunnel's true origin
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00:07:25,236 --> 00:07:27,906
lead to an alarming discovery.
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00:07:27,989 --> 00:07:30,116
As more of the debris
was removed,
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00:07:30,200 --> 00:07:32,827
the intricate passageways
continued to grow
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00:07:32,911 --> 00:07:34,996
in both size and distance.
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00:07:35,080 --> 00:07:38,541
Most of the tunnels were wide
enough to allow adult humans
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00:07:38,625 --> 00:07:41,294
to travel along
their entire length.
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00:07:41,378 --> 00:07:44,964
The largest of these was
a shocking 19 feet wide,
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00:07:45,048 --> 00:07:47,300
earning it the name
Strada Carrabile,
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00:07:47,384 --> 00:07:49,678
or "The Great Underground Road."
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00:07:49,761 --> 00:07:52,472
And the road analogy
didn't end there.
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00:07:52,555 --> 00:07:54,182
The floor of
the Strada Carrabile
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00:07:54,265 --> 00:07:58,186
appeared to have grooves,
or ruts, cut right into them,
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00:07:58,269 --> 00:08:00,063
as if the long passage
had been used
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00:08:00,146 --> 00:08:03,108
for the transport
of carts and wagons.
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00:08:03,191 --> 00:08:05,819
At 19 feet across, it was
certainly wide enough
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00:08:05,902 --> 00:08:08,863
to allow for two-way
vehicle traffic.
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00:08:08,947 --> 00:08:10,699
But the biggest shock
was the discovery
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00:08:10,782 --> 00:08:14,119
of the Grand Trapezio's
ultimate destination.
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00:08:14,202 --> 00:08:16,329
From the original site,
the tunnel traveled
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00:08:16,413 --> 00:08:18,373
two and a half miles underground
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00:08:18,456 --> 00:08:21,626
and led directly to
a section of Hadrian's Villa.
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00:08:21,710 --> 00:08:24,754
It seemed the famous emperor
had a hidden tunnel system
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00:08:24,838 --> 00:08:28,883
connected to his private estate,
all intended for moving people
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00:08:28,967 --> 00:08:31,928
and vehicles efficiently
and secretly.
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00:08:32,011 --> 00:08:34,514
The question is why?
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00:08:34,597 --> 00:08:36,683
A closer look
at the life and legacy
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00:08:36,766 --> 00:08:40,729
of Rome's 14th emperor
offers a critical clue.
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00:08:40,812 --> 00:08:45,650
Hadrian ruled
the empire from 117 to 138 CE,
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00:08:45,734 --> 00:08:48,653
one of a succession
of five leaders
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00:08:48,737 --> 00:08:51,239
known as the Five Good Emperors
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00:08:51,322 --> 00:08:54,951
because of their capable
and prosperous reign.
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But unlike many
of his predecessors,
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00:08:57,495 --> 00:09:01,166
Hadrian focused on strengthening
and consolidating
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00:09:01,249 --> 00:09:05,128
the existing empire
rather than expanding it.
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00:09:05,211 --> 00:09:06,755
Hadrian's most
effective strategy
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00:09:06,838 --> 00:09:10,258
for preserving the empire
was a powerful defense;
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00:09:10,341 --> 00:09:12,844
protecting the borders
at all costs.
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00:09:12,927 --> 00:09:15,180
So it's no surprise
that he's best known
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00:09:15,263 --> 00:09:16,806
for building Hadrian's Wall,
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00:09:16,890 --> 00:09:18,850
a massive stone fortification
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00:09:18,933 --> 00:09:21,770
protecting the Roman-held
province of Britannia.
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00:09:21,853 --> 00:09:24,647
Stretching 73 miles
from east to west,
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00:09:24,731 --> 00:09:26,066
it's the largest Roman
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00:09:26,149 --> 00:09:28,610
archaeological feature
in Britain.
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00:09:28,693 --> 00:09:30,445
In light of Hadrian's
defensive approach
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00:09:30,528 --> 00:09:32,781
to securing and keeping power,
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00:09:32,864 --> 00:09:34,657
the existence of
a secret tunnel system
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00:09:34,741 --> 00:09:39,120
underneath his private villa
begins to make a lot of sense.
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00:09:39,204 --> 00:09:42,791
Is it possible the miles-long
hidden passageways
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00:09:42,874 --> 00:09:45,043
are in fact escape routes,
192
00:09:45,126 --> 00:09:47,378
built to ensure a fast
and efficient getaway
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00:09:47,462 --> 00:09:52,383
for the emperor in case of an
enemy invasion or civil unrest?
194
00:09:52,467 --> 00:09:55,136
Underground passages
have been built across Europe
195
00:09:55,220 --> 00:09:57,931
for defensive purposes
for centuries.
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00:09:58,014 --> 00:10:00,809
In France, just outside
the village of Naours,
197
00:10:00,892 --> 00:10:03,103
there's a series
of tunnels and chambers
198
00:10:03,186 --> 00:10:04,437
that at one time housed
199
00:10:04,521 --> 00:10:09,484
as many as three times
the town's population of 1,200.
200
00:10:09,567 --> 00:10:11,653
With the arrival
of the Thirty Years' War,
201
00:10:11,736 --> 00:10:15,073
the 300 rooms were used as
shelter to protect residents
202
00:10:15,156 --> 00:10:17,992
from raiders
and invading armies.
203
00:10:18,076 --> 00:10:20,954
At his villa,
Hadrian and his inner circle
204
00:10:21,037 --> 00:10:22,831
would have been acutely aware
205
00:10:22,914 --> 00:10:26,668
of the need for personal
safety and security.
206
00:10:26,751 --> 00:10:29,295
This may have played a role
in the creation of the villa
207
00:10:29,379 --> 00:10:30,463
in the first place,
208
00:10:30,547 --> 00:10:34,759
far enough away from the
pressures and politics of Rome.
209
00:10:34,843 --> 00:10:38,638
Add to the fact that the tunnel
system was completely uncharted
210
00:10:38,721 --> 00:10:42,183
with no historical record
whatsoever
211
00:10:42,267 --> 00:10:45,270
suggests a need for secrecy.
212
00:10:45,353 --> 00:10:47,313
However, given
the complete lack
213
00:10:47,397 --> 00:10:48,857
of fortified checkpoints,
214
00:10:48,940 --> 00:10:51,943
hidden armories,
or designated escape hatches--
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00:10:52,026 --> 00:10:53,027
these are defensive features
216
00:10:53,111 --> 00:10:54,988
that are typically found
in escape routes--
217
00:10:55,071 --> 00:10:57,532
it seems unlikely that
the tunnels were built
218
00:10:57,615 --> 00:10:59,200
for this purpose.
219
00:10:59,284 --> 00:11:01,703
The use of advanced
geophysical techniques
220
00:11:01,786 --> 00:11:05,665
for excavating the Tivoli site
reveals crucial evidence
221
00:11:05,748 --> 00:11:09,711
and a compelling explanation
for the secret tunnel system.
222
00:11:09,794 --> 00:11:12,714
By applying methods such
as ground-penetrating radar,
223
00:11:12,797 --> 00:11:16,551
computer-assisted modeling,
and topographic surveys,
224
00:11:16,634 --> 00:11:18,052
it was possible to detect
225
00:11:18,136 --> 00:11:19,053
buried features
226
00:11:19,137 --> 00:11:20,722
when physical excavation
227
00:11:20,805 --> 00:11:22,390
wasn't possible.
228
00:11:22,473 --> 00:11:24,559
Directly beneath
the villa's Pecile,
229
00:11:24,642 --> 00:11:27,562
a long terrace with
a rectangular pool,
230
00:11:27,645 --> 00:11:29,898
a massive number of chambers
were revealed
231
00:11:29,981 --> 00:11:32,358
to be individual
living quarters.
232
00:11:32,442 --> 00:11:35,904
So whoever was down there
likely stayed there.
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00:11:35,987 --> 00:11:37,739
Another key discovery
was the existence
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00:11:37,822 --> 00:11:40,867
of square recesses
in the masonry walls,
235
00:11:40,950 --> 00:11:44,746
indicating the presence of
wooden beams for animal mangers.
236
00:11:44,829 --> 00:11:48,041
So in addition to the humans
residing underground,
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00:11:48,124 --> 00:11:49,751
a significant number of animals
238
00:11:49,834 --> 00:11:51,753
likely took up residence
as well.
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00:11:51,836 --> 00:11:53,755
So in this context,
it's possible
240
00:11:53,838 --> 00:11:57,759
the rounded barrel vaults
were stables for oxen.
241
00:11:57,842 --> 00:12:01,554
But the most telling
discovery was a long passageway
242
00:12:01,638 --> 00:12:05,350
containing nine miles
of water pipes,
243
00:12:05,433 --> 00:12:08,436
sewers, and drainage canals.
244
00:12:08,519 --> 00:12:10,313
These pipes were
directly connected
245
00:12:10,396 --> 00:12:13,483
to four larger aqueducts
leading to Rome,
246
00:12:13,566 --> 00:12:16,444
both as a supply of fresh water
247
00:12:16,527 --> 00:12:18,947
and to dispose of waste.
248
00:12:19,030 --> 00:12:21,074
Taken in total,
a picture emerged
249
00:12:21,157 --> 00:12:24,452
of an entire world
below Hadrian's Villa:
250
00:12:24,535 --> 00:12:26,871
a sophisticated network
of infrastructure,
251
00:12:26,955 --> 00:12:28,539
storage for food and supplies,
252
00:12:28,623 --> 00:12:31,125
and living quarters
for the servants and slaves
253
00:12:31,209 --> 00:12:33,002
who kept
the opulent villa running
254
00:12:33,086 --> 00:12:35,838
according to Hadrian's wishes.
255
00:12:35,922 --> 00:12:38,299
The discovery
of Hadrian's secret tunnels
256
00:12:38,383 --> 00:12:41,678
offers an unprecedented
snapshot of life
257
00:12:41,761 --> 00:12:43,471
in Imperial Rome.
258
00:12:43,554 --> 00:12:45,306
From the thrones of power
259
00:12:45,390 --> 00:12:47,475
to the slave labor
that supported it,
260
00:12:47,558 --> 00:12:49,310
it invites a deeper
understanding
261
00:12:49,394 --> 00:12:52,981
of the brilliant minds
behind Roman engineering,
262
00:12:53,064 --> 00:12:56,109
and brings the ongoing
historical narrative
263
00:12:56,192 --> 00:12:58,236
to vibrant life.
264
00:13:01,072 --> 00:13:02,865
Located in central Germany,
265
00:13:02,949 --> 00:13:05,159
about 100 miles north
of Munich,
266
00:13:05,243 --> 00:13:07,996
is the city of Nuremberg.
267
00:13:08,079 --> 00:13:11,082
In the 20th century,
Nuremberg was forever tied
268
00:13:11,165 --> 00:13:14,961
to Nazi Germany
and the Holocaust.
269
00:13:15,044 --> 00:13:17,547
Not only did Adolf Hitler
choose this city
270
00:13:17,630 --> 00:13:21,718
as the site for the Nazi Party
rallies during the 1930s,
271
00:13:21,801 --> 00:13:25,513
but after the war, it became a
symbol of international justice
272
00:13:25,596 --> 00:13:27,473
when it hosted
the Nuremberg Trials
273
00:13:27,557 --> 00:13:31,185
between 1945 and 1946.
274
00:13:31,269 --> 00:13:34,355
{\an8} Nuremberg's historical
roots go back centuries.
275
00:13:34,439 --> 00:13:36,691
The first mention of the city
is in a document
276
00:13:36,774 --> 00:13:41,863
issued by Holy Roman Emperor
Henry III in 1050 CE.
277
00:13:41,946 --> 00:13:44,490
It was also the home
of the Imperial Castle,
278
00:13:44,574 --> 00:13:46,534
a residence for the emperor.
279
00:13:46,617 --> 00:13:50,121
As such, Nuremberg became known
as the unofficial capital
280
00:13:50,204 --> 00:13:51,873
of the Holy Roman Empire.
281
00:13:51,956 --> 00:13:53,207
{\an8}During medieval times,
282
00:13:53,291 --> 00:13:56,294
{\an8}the city was a hub of economic
and cultural activity.
283
00:13:56,377 --> 00:13:59,047
Not only was it an important
site for trade,
284
00:13:59,130 --> 00:14:01,049
it typified the explosion
of artistic
285
00:14:01,132 --> 00:14:04,052
and scientific ingenuity
of the Renaissance.
286
00:14:04,135 --> 00:14:06,012
Artist Albrecht Durer
resided here,
287
00:14:06,095 --> 00:14:09,932
as did the inventors of
the globe and the pocket watch.
288
00:14:10,016 --> 00:14:11,726
Today,
Nuremberg has a population
289
00:14:11,809 --> 00:14:15,063
of about half a million people,
but like many German cities,
290
00:14:15,146 --> 00:14:17,732
the overall population
is getting older.
291
00:14:17,815 --> 00:14:20,526
In 2023,
city officials approved
292
00:14:20,610 --> 00:14:23,071
the construction
of a new retirement home
293
00:14:23,154 --> 00:14:25,907
in Nuremberg's
St. Johannis District.
294
00:14:25,990 --> 00:14:27,575
But before work can begin,
295
00:14:27,658 --> 00:14:30,328
a standard archaeological
survey of the site
296
00:14:30,411 --> 00:14:33,081
yields a grim discovery.
297
00:14:33,164 --> 00:14:36,000
Excavations of
the 60,000-square-foot lot
298
00:14:36,084 --> 00:14:39,253
{\an8}had begun in the fall, and
by spring the following year,
299
00:14:39,337 --> 00:14:41,589
{\an8}there was a startling
announcement.
300
00:14:41,672 --> 00:14:44,217
The dig uncovered
eight mass graves,
301
00:14:44,300 --> 00:14:47,053
each containing
hundreds of bodies.
302
00:14:47,136 --> 00:14:49,514
More than 1,000 skeletons
were unearthed,
303
00:14:49,597 --> 00:14:51,724
and there were estimates
that that number of dead
304
00:14:51,808 --> 00:14:53,351
was going to climb.
305
00:14:53,434 --> 00:14:54,685
The graves were cut
into the earth
306
00:14:54,769 --> 00:14:57,313
without any structural
elements or lining
307
00:14:57,396 --> 00:15:00,108
that would have suggested
a ceremonial burial.
308
00:15:00,191 --> 00:15:03,444
It appears these people were
hastily thrown into a trench
309
00:15:03,528 --> 00:15:05,029
and covered with earth.
310
00:15:05,113 --> 00:15:07,949
The remains included
both adult men and women
311
00:15:08,032 --> 00:15:10,618
of various ages,
and children as well.
312
00:15:10,701 --> 00:15:13,704
In some areas of the pits,
the bodies were layered,
313
00:15:13,788 --> 00:15:18,084
packed together to maximize
every available space.
314
00:15:18,167 --> 00:15:21,337
One of the graves
contained nearly 300 bodies.
315
00:15:21,420 --> 00:15:23,631
Some of them were sitting
against the walls of the pit,
316
00:15:23,714 --> 00:15:26,592
others were just lying down
on their sides.
317
00:15:26,676 --> 00:15:29,137
Whatever killed these
people, it was indiscriminate
318
00:15:29,220 --> 00:15:31,889
and affected an entire
cross-section of the community.
319
00:15:31,973 --> 00:15:35,643
Many of the skeletons exhibited
an unusual green discoloration,
320
00:15:35,726 --> 00:15:36,978
while the bones
of other skeletons
321
00:15:37,061 --> 00:15:40,481
appear to have been damaged
and scattered by a large impact.
322
00:15:40,565 --> 00:15:42,733
A wealth of artifacts
was also recovered
323
00:15:42,817 --> 00:15:43,693
from the pits.
324
00:15:43,776 --> 00:15:44,861
There were silver coins,
325
00:15:44,944 --> 00:15:46,946
there were shards
of ceramic pottery.
326
00:15:47,029 --> 00:15:51,492
There were also a bunch of
buttons, hooks, and buckles
327
00:15:51,576 --> 00:15:53,995
that were discovered alongside
hundreds of bodies,
328
00:15:54,078 --> 00:15:56,372
and that suggests
that a lot of them
329
00:15:56,455 --> 00:15:58,666
were buried in their clothes.
330
00:15:58,749 --> 00:16:01,335
These artifacts
ultimately help researchers
331
00:16:01,419 --> 00:16:03,671
identify the fateful date
when the dead
332
00:16:03,754 --> 00:16:08,509
were unceremoniously interred
in these mass graves.
333
00:16:08,593 --> 00:16:11,345
In 1943,
Nuremberg was subjected
334
00:16:11,429 --> 00:16:13,097
to an Allied bombing campaign,
335
00:16:13,181 --> 00:16:15,850
and initially it was thought
these hundreds of bodies
336
00:16:15,933 --> 00:16:17,852
were victims of that attack.
337
00:16:17,935 --> 00:16:20,104
In fact, the scattered bones
in one area
338
00:16:20,188 --> 00:16:22,398
may have been due to
the impact of the bombs,
339
00:16:22,481 --> 00:16:25,484
but a closer examination of
the artifacts helps determine
340
00:16:25,568 --> 00:16:29,030
an altogether different
time period for the burial.
341
00:16:29,113 --> 00:16:33,701
The silver coins were dated
between 1619 and 1621
342
00:16:33,784 --> 00:16:35,828
while the pottery
was radiocarbon dated
343
00:16:35,912 --> 00:16:40,374
to somewhere between
1622 and 1634.
344
00:16:40,458 --> 00:16:43,211
This would place the
digging of these burial pits
345
00:16:43,294 --> 00:16:46,547
during Europe's
brutal Thirty Years' War.
346
00:16:46,631 --> 00:16:48,299
Sparked by the deep animosity
347
00:16:48,382 --> 00:16:51,219
between Protestants and
Catholics in Central Europe
348
00:16:51,302 --> 00:16:53,763
and the conflicting
ambitions of rulers
349
00:16:53,846 --> 00:16:56,140
of Protestant and Catholic
territories,
350
00:16:56,224 --> 00:16:59,727
the war raged from 1618 to 1648.
351
00:16:59,810 --> 00:17:02,396
To this day, it remains one
of the most destructive wars
352
00:17:02,480 --> 00:17:05,316
in European history
before the 20th century.
353
00:17:05,399 --> 00:17:07,693
It was an absolutely
staggering loss of life.
354
00:17:07,777 --> 00:17:12,073
In 1632, 45,000 troops from the
Allied Swedish Protestant Army
355
00:17:12,156 --> 00:17:14,575
retreated into Nuremberg's
fortified city walls
356
00:17:14,659 --> 00:17:16,994
for protection from
an approaching Catholic army.
357
00:17:17,078 --> 00:17:19,580
Nuremberg's population suddenly
swelled with foreign soldiers
358
00:17:19,664 --> 00:17:21,624
and refugees from
the surrounding areas.
359
00:17:21,707 --> 00:17:25,253
Eventually, 50,000 Catholic
soldiers surrounded the city.
360
00:17:25,336 --> 00:17:27,421
It was the beginning
of a bloody standoff.
361
00:17:27,505 --> 00:17:30,007
And two significant problems
quickly arose.
362
00:17:30,091 --> 00:17:33,261
First, no supplies could get
in or out of the city.
363
00:17:33,344 --> 00:17:37,265
Then, Nuremberg sanitation
systems began to fail.
364
00:17:37,348 --> 00:17:39,433
That same year,
there was more bad news.
365
00:17:39,517 --> 00:17:42,603
The bubonic plague
descended on the area.
366
00:17:42,687 --> 00:17:45,231
Now that had been a recurring
scourge in Nuremberg
367
00:17:45,314 --> 00:17:49,110
since the 14th century,
but now, coupled with war,
368
00:17:49,193 --> 00:17:51,779
that outbreak was
especially devastating.
369
00:17:51,862 --> 00:17:54,907
Already weakened by
that prolonged siege,
370
00:17:54,991 --> 00:17:57,785
the populations on both sides
of the city walls
371
00:17:57,868 --> 00:18:01,622
were extremely vulnerable
to that outbreak.
372
00:18:01,706 --> 00:18:04,041
The date of the
artifacts found in the pits
373
00:18:04,125 --> 00:18:07,253
suggests the trench was dug out
during the siege,
374
00:18:07,336 --> 00:18:09,130
but this timeline
is complicated
375
00:18:09,213 --> 00:18:11,632
by other evidence
found in the pits.
376
00:18:11,716 --> 00:18:13,384
Radiocarbon dating
on one of the bones
377
00:18:13,467 --> 00:18:16,304
in the graveyard yielded
a much broader date range,
378
00:18:16,387 --> 00:18:19,765
placing it between
the 15th and 17th centuries.
379
00:18:19,849 --> 00:18:22,310
This introduced the idea
that these plague pits
380
00:18:22,393 --> 00:18:25,146
might have been dug
much earlier.
381
00:18:25,229 --> 00:18:27,982
Was every individual found
in these mass graves
382
00:18:28,065 --> 00:18:32,695
really a victim of the plague,
or did something else kill them?
383
00:18:35,031 --> 00:18:36,324
Prior to the siege
of Nuremberg,
384
00:18:36,407 --> 00:18:38,034
the city did have
a dark history of violence
385
00:18:38,117 --> 00:18:40,953
against members
of its own population.
386
00:18:41,037 --> 00:18:43,122
100 years
before the siege,
387
00:18:43,205 --> 00:18:45,666
a newly formed
Protestant religious group
388
00:18:45,750 --> 00:18:48,794
known as the Anabaptists
were heavily persecuted
389
00:18:48,878 --> 00:18:51,255
by authorities
for their beliefs.
390
00:18:51,339 --> 00:18:55,009
Anabaptists didn't believe
in baptizing people as infants.
391
00:18:55,092 --> 00:18:57,094
Instead, they thought people
should be baptized
392
00:18:57,178 --> 00:19:00,181
when they were adults and could
commit to Christian belief.
393
00:19:00,264 --> 00:19:03,142
They also promoted the
separation of church and state.
394
00:19:03,225 --> 00:19:05,436
They thought that rulers
should have no say
395
00:19:05,519 --> 00:19:08,689
in the religious adherence
and practice of their subjects,
396
00:19:08,773 --> 00:19:10,316
and that the church
should be made up
397
00:19:10,399 --> 00:19:12,777
of a voluntary
community of believers.
398
00:19:12,860 --> 00:19:15,488
Now, this would have been
incredibly controversial
399
00:19:15,571 --> 00:19:18,366
in all of the territories
of the Holy Roman Empire.
400
00:19:18,449 --> 00:19:20,534
These convictions
made them enemies
401
00:19:20,618 --> 00:19:22,787
among both Catholics
and Protestants
402
00:19:22,870 --> 00:19:25,748
who viewed the Anabaptists
as dangerous heretics,
403
00:19:25,831 --> 00:19:30,711
and sometimes they persecuted
them to the point of death.
404
00:19:30,795 --> 00:19:32,713
Decades of religious
persecution ensued,
405
00:19:32,797 --> 00:19:36,050
with mounted soldiers hunting
down suspected Anabaptists
406
00:19:36,133 --> 00:19:37,760
in towns across the country.
407
00:19:37,843 --> 00:19:39,762
Those who were found were
indiscriminately slaughtered,
408
00:19:39,845 --> 00:19:42,556
sometimes drowned, or even hung
outside their homes.
409
00:19:42,640 --> 00:19:45,559
Thousands of Anabaptists
were massacred.
410
00:19:45,643 --> 00:19:47,061
During
the Thirty Years' War,
411
00:19:47,144 --> 00:19:49,230
a radical religious group
like the Anabaptists
412
00:19:49,313 --> 00:19:52,483
would have been vulnerable
to violence from both sides.
413
00:19:52,566 --> 00:19:55,736
So it's possible that the chaos
of the siege of Nuremberg
414
00:19:55,820 --> 00:19:59,407
could have accelerated
the execution of the Anabaptists
415
00:19:59,490 --> 00:20:01,659
who would then be disposed of
416
00:20:01,742 --> 00:20:04,453
alongside victims
of the standoff.
417
00:20:04,537 --> 00:20:07,039
However, the pits may
have had another purpose
418
00:20:07,123 --> 00:20:09,583
prior to the onslaught
of the plague.
419
00:20:09,667 --> 00:20:12,002
It's possible these
hastily dug mass graves
420
00:20:12,086 --> 00:20:15,589
could contain the deceased from
both the battle and the plague.
421
00:20:15,673 --> 00:20:18,050
But evidence from another
standoff the same year,
422
00:20:18,134 --> 00:20:21,095
about 130 miles away
in the town of Lutzen,
423
00:20:21,178 --> 00:20:23,264
paints a clearer picture
of a mass death
424
00:20:23,347 --> 00:20:25,057
from a military conflict.
425
00:20:25,141 --> 00:20:27,643
Remains from that site
were almost exclusively
426
00:20:27,727 --> 00:20:29,437
military-aged males.
427
00:20:29,520 --> 00:20:31,439
Many of them showed evidence
of traumatic injuries
428
00:20:31,522 --> 00:20:33,023
from bullets and blades,
429
00:20:33,107 --> 00:20:34,692
while the Nuremberg graves
contained victims
430
00:20:34,775 --> 00:20:36,068
from across demographics--
431
00:20:36,152 --> 00:20:38,612
young and old,
women and children--
432
00:20:38,696 --> 00:20:40,114
and none of them so far
have been reported
433
00:20:40,197 --> 00:20:42,616
to show battlefield injuries.
434
00:20:42,700 --> 00:20:44,577
Now it's possible that
a lot of people who suffered
435
00:20:44,660 --> 00:20:47,747
from the siege of Nuremberg's
resulting health issues
436
00:20:47,830 --> 00:20:49,457
were buried here as well.
437
00:20:49,540 --> 00:20:51,959
It's really hard to know
whether or not these victims
438
00:20:52,042 --> 00:20:56,297
ended up inside these pits
prior to the plague.
439
00:20:56,380 --> 00:20:58,966
Searching for clues,
researchers pore over
440
00:20:59,049 --> 00:21:04,764
historical records until
they find their smoking gun.
441
00:21:04,847 --> 00:21:08,225
A note was discovered in
Nuremberg's municipal archives.
442
00:21:08,309 --> 00:21:10,144
It was dated 1634,
443
00:21:10,227 --> 00:21:13,147
one year after the devastation
from the siege.
444
00:21:13,230 --> 00:21:15,733
The note specifically mentions
the plague outbreak
445
00:21:15,816 --> 00:21:18,652
between 1632 and 1633,
446
00:21:18,736 --> 00:21:21,655
and states that approximately
2,000 people were buried
447
00:21:21,739 --> 00:21:24,992
in a mass grave near
the St. Sebastian Hospital.
448
00:21:25,075 --> 00:21:28,245
And the hospital was located
just over 150 feet
449
00:21:28,329 --> 00:21:30,706
from the 2023 excavation site.
450
00:21:30,790 --> 00:21:32,917
It's strong evidence
that these pits
451
00:21:33,000 --> 00:21:35,336
were specifically part
of an emergency effort
452
00:21:35,419 --> 00:21:38,839
to bury the growing number of
dead from the plague epidemic.
453
00:21:38,923 --> 00:21:40,591
And the artifacts
found with the bodies
454
00:21:40,674 --> 00:21:42,843
may be corroborating evidence.
455
00:21:42,927 --> 00:21:43,844
Why?
456
00:21:43,928 --> 00:21:46,347
Because often, valuables
like coins and buckles
457
00:21:46,430 --> 00:21:49,475
would have been stripped from
the deceased prior to burial.
458
00:21:49,558 --> 00:21:53,979
But fear was clearly a more
powerful driver than greed here.
459
00:21:54,063 --> 00:21:56,148
The fact that these items
ended up in the pit
460
00:21:56,232 --> 00:21:59,360
speaks to the panic that
must have enveloped Nuremberg
461
00:21:59,443 --> 00:22:02,196
as thousands of its
residents were dying.
462
00:22:02,279 --> 00:22:04,949
If any of the people
buried here had died in combat
463
00:22:05,032 --> 00:22:06,367
or even from the siege's
shocking array
464
00:22:06,450 --> 00:22:09,870
of health emergencies, one would
expect this Christian community
465
00:22:09,954 --> 00:22:12,540
to have performed more
dignified funeral rites.
466
00:22:12,623 --> 00:22:15,042
But those traditions seem
to have been abandoned here.
467
00:22:15,125 --> 00:22:16,418
The mass grave provides a window
468
00:22:16,502 --> 00:22:18,170
into the psychology
of the citizens
469
00:22:18,254 --> 00:22:20,381
who used a horrifying
last resort
470
00:22:20,464 --> 00:22:22,842
in the face of a deadly
outbreak of disease.
471
00:22:22,925 --> 00:22:25,010
The site in Nuremberg
is believed to be
472
00:22:25,094 --> 00:22:28,722
the largest mass grave
ever excavated in Europe.
473
00:22:28,806 --> 00:22:31,725
And the investigation
is far from over.
474
00:22:31,809 --> 00:22:35,062
The eight burial pits
have yet to be fully cataloged
475
00:22:35,145 --> 00:22:36,689
and analyzed, and likewise,
476
00:22:36,772 --> 00:22:39,108
all those skeletons
are still being examined
477
00:22:39,191 --> 00:22:42,403
to determine their ages, their
sexes, and their physical health
478
00:22:42,486 --> 00:22:43,904
at the time that they died.
479
00:22:43,988 --> 00:22:46,866
Now, all the data collected
from this tragedy
480
00:22:46,949 --> 00:22:47,992
is gonna be invaluable,
481
00:22:48,075 --> 00:22:49,952
because it's gonna
give us better insight
482
00:22:50,035 --> 00:22:53,581
not only into this community's
terrifying year,
483
00:22:53,664 --> 00:22:58,043
but also into the nature
of a fast-moving epidemic.
484
00:22:58,127 --> 00:23:00,588
We do know that
the mysterious green stains
485
00:23:00,671 --> 00:23:04,049
found on many of the skeletons
were caused centuries later
486
00:23:04,133 --> 00:23:08,637
by industrial waste from
a nearby metal processing plant.
487
00:23:08,721 --> 00:23:10,556
This speaks to how
thousands of bodies
488
00:23:10,639 --> 00:23:13,642
were hidden below the city
streets for generations,
489
00:23:13,726 --> 00:23:16,145
unbeknownst to the town
and its citizens.
490
00:23:16,228 --> 00:23:18,772
And even today, the graves
are still inaccessible
491
00:23:18,856 --> 00:23:21,609
to the public as further
research continues.
492
00:23:21,692 --> 00:23:23,777
But there are some
mysteries in these trenches
493
00:23:23,861 --> 00:23:25,195
that have yet to be solved.
494
00:23:25,279 --> 00:23:27,615
There are indications that
at least one of the pits
495
00:23:27,698 --> 00:23:31,285
was partially exhumed sometime
after the initial burial.
496
00:23:31,368 --> 00:23:34,288
We don't know why this would
have been done or by who.
497
00:23:34,371 --> 00:23:37,625
So did this pit originally
contain more bodies
498
00:23:37,708 --> 00:23:40,419
than were found
in the current excavation?
499
00:23:40,502 --> 00:23:42,421
As the city
of Nuremberg moves forward
500
00:23:42,504 --> 00:23:46,091
with its planned retirement
home to care for the elderly,
501
00:23:46,175 --> 00:23:49,470
these mysterious graves
reveal a chilling story
502
00:23:49,553 --> 00:23:52,222
of a time when thousands
of its citizens
503
00:23:52,306 --> 00:23:56,560
were buried and nearly lost
to history.
504
00:24:00,898 --> 00:24:03,150
Just a few blocks
from the London Bridge,
505
00:24:03,233 --> 00:24:05,152
near the historic
Leadenhall Market,
506
00:24:05,235 --> 00:24:10,115
is London's Financial District,
also known as the Square Mile.
507
00:24:10,199 --> 00:24:13,327
{\an8} If London is
the economic driver of England,
508
00:24:13,410 --> 00:24:15,663
the Square Mile
has been its engine
509
00:24:15,746 --> 00:24:17,915
for the better part
of 2,000 years.
510
00:24:17,998 --> 00:24:21,460
Each week, this borough,
also simply called "The City,"
511
00:24:21,543 --> 00:24:25,297
is flooded with
over 675,000 workers
512
00:24:25,381 --> 00:24:27,675
who clock in at one
of the hundreds of offices
513
00:24:27,758 --> 00:24:29,635
or retailers here.
514
00:24:29,718 --> 00:24:33,472
{\an8} You can also find
religion in the Square Mile.
515
00:24:33,555 --> 00:24:37,518
{\an8}There are over 40 churches
scattered across the borough,
516
00:24:37,601 --> 00:24:43,065
including, most famously,
St. Paul's Cathedral.
517
00:24:43,148 --> 00:24:46,777
These centuries-old monuments
speak to the Square Miles'
518
00:24:46,860 --> 00:24:51,031
long and sometimes
tumultuous history.
519
00:24:51,115 --> 00:24:53,826
During the Roman
occupation of Britain,
520
00:24:53,909 --> 00:24:57,538
the city was surrounded
by a 20-foot wall.
521
00:24:57,621 --> 00:25:01,917
Centuries later, the area
witnessed calamitous events
522
00:25:02,001 --> 00:25:04,336
like the fall of London Bridge
523
00:25:04,420 --> 00:25:07,214
and London's Great Fire.
524
00:25:10,300 --> 00:25:11,719
All of this
history and architecture
525
00:25:11,802 --> 00:25:14,555
is packed into a single
square mile of London,
526
00:25:14,638 --> 00:25:15,931
hence the name,
527
00:25:16,015 --> 00:25:17,224
{\an8}and it's an area
that seems to be
528
00:25:17,307 --> 00:25:20,185
{\an8}in a state of perpetual
redevelopment.
529
00:25:20,269 --> 00:25:24,565
In February of 2025,
at 85 Gracechurch Street,
530
00:25:24,648 --> 00:25:27,067
workers in the Square Mile
prepared to demolish
531
00:25:27,151 --> 00:25:30,779
an older building to make way
for a new office tower.
532
00:25:30,863 --> 00:25:32,906
But before the
demolition of any building
533
00:25:32,990 --> 00:25:35,117
within the Square Mile
can proceed,
534
00:25:35,200 --> 00:25:37,578
London requires developers
to facilitate
535
00:25:37,661 --> 00:25:39,580
an archaeological survey.
536
00:25:39,663 --> 00:25:43,292
{\an8}So they did, and what they found
under this condemned building
537
00:25:43,375 --> 00:25:45,169
{\an8}was truly remarkable.
538
00:25:45,252 --> 00:25:47,421
Archaeologists
from the Museum of London
539
00:25:47,504 --> 00:25:49,590
excavated
the building's basement,
540
00:25:49,673 --> 00:25:52,593
and buried beneath centuries
of earth and debris,
541
00:25:52,676 --> 00:25:55,763
discovered the foundations
of a much older building,
542
00:25:55,846 --> 00:25:58,432
along with remnants
of a limestone wall
543
00:25:58,515 --> 00:26:00,601
and massive chunks of masonry.
544
00:26:00,684 --> 00:26:02,186
And eventually, the dimensions
545
00:26:02,269 --> 00:26:05,314
of a rectangular-shaped building
were revealed.
546
00:26:05,397 --> 00:26:07,524
Its footprint would
have been the size
547
00:26:07,608 --> 00:26:11,695
of an Olympic swimming pool,
and an adjacent courtyard
548
00:26:11,779 --> 00:26:15,115
looks to have been
as large as a soccer field.
549
00:26:15,199 --> 00:26:16,867
This structure
appears to have stood
550
00:26:16,950 --> 00:26:19,745
approximately two and a half
stories high
551
00:26:19,828 --> 00:26:22,081
with large windows
on its upper floors
552
00:26:22,164 --> 00:26:24,792
that maximized
the natural light.
553
00:26:24,875 --> 00:26:26,126
Within the interior,
554
00:26:26,210 --> 00:26:31,924
there's evidence of internal
columns and a central hall.
555
00:26:32,007 --> 00:26:35,886
So who built this place
and what was it used for?
556
00:26:35,969 --> 00:26:37,638
Analysis of
the building materials
557
00:26:37,721 --> 00:26:39,932
and construction methods
dates the building
558
00:26:40,015 --> 00:26:43,644
to somewhere between
70 and 84 CE,
559
00:26:43,727 --> 00:26:49,316
roughly three decades after
Rome invaded Britain in 43 CE.
560
00:26:49,399 --> 00:26:51,735
The city of London was
founded by Roman conquerors
561
00:26:51,819 --> 00:26:53,987
around 50 CE
when the area was known
562
00:26:54,071 --> 00:26:56,156
as the settlement of Londinium.
563
00:26:56,240 --> 00:26:57,491
A decade later, it would become
564
00:26:57,574 --> 00:26:59,535
the most important city
in the country,
565
00:26:59,618 --> 00:27:01,161
with its proximity
to the River Thames
566
00:27:01,245 --> 00:27:05,165
making it a key port
for the Roman Empire.
567
00:27:05,249 --> 00:27:07,501
After consulting
London's historical records
568
00:27:07,584 --> 00:27:11,755
and maps, officials realized
this isn't just any building.
569
00:27:11,839 --> 00:27:13,465
This is a Roman basilica,
570
00:27:13,549 --> 00:27:16,635
the hub of civic life
in Roman-era London.
571
00:27:16,718 --> 00:27:20,055
In later centuries, the term
"basilica" came to be used
572
00:27:20,139 --> 00:27:22,015
to describe Christian churches,
573
00:27:22,099 --> 00:27:25,352
but this was a vibrant
and busy public square.
574
00:27:25,435 --> 00:27:27,187
And much like
the Square Mile today,
575
00:27:27,271 --> 00:27:31,275
it was the political and
economic center of the city.
576
00:27:31,358 --> 00:27:34,528
The evidence suggests
that only about 20 to 30 years
577
00:27:34,611 --> 00:27:38,323
after it was constructed,
the basilica was demolished.
578
00:27:38,407 --> 00:27:40,450
This was a remarkably
brief lifespan
579
00:27:40,534 --> 00:27:43,704
for a building that was
so central to Roman life.
580
00:27:43,787 --> 00:27:45,664
The basilica was
eventually replaced
581
00:27:45,747 --> 00:27:49,459
by a much grander structure
in 120 CE
582
00:27:49,543 --> 00:27:50,711
that's estimated to have been
583
00:27:50,794 --> 00:27:53,505
five times the size
of the original.
584
00:27:53,589 --> 00:27:56,758
That newer building lasted
until the end of Roman rule
585
00:27:56,842 --> 00:28:00,888
over Britain in 409 CE.
586
00:28:00,971 --> 00:28:03,682
Why the basilica
was so quickly erased
587
00:28:03,765 --> 00:28:07,227
from London's cityscape
after only two decades
588
00:28:07,311 --> 00:28:09,229
is a confounding question.
589
00:28:09,313 --> 00:28:13,734
How did this astonishing symbol
of Roman imperialism
590
00:28:13,817 --> 00:28:18,614
suddenly became obsolete while
the empire occupied the region
591
00:28:18,697 --> 00:28:22,200
for another 300 years?
592
00:28:22,284 --> 00:28:23,911
Despite
the Romans' engineering
593
00:28:23,994 --> 00:28:25,370
and building prowess,
594
00:28:25,454 --> 00:28:29,082
the basilica may have had
a structural flaw.
595
00:28:29,166 --> 00:28:31,209
Because of its
proximity to the River Thames,
596
00:28:31,293 --> 00:28:32,252
the building's foundations
597
00:28:32,336 --> 00:28:34,254
were likely vulnerable
to water damage.
598
00:28:34,338 --> 00:28:36,590
Building next to a body of water
is always a risk.
599
00:28:36,673 --> 00:28:37,966
The ground could have
been unstable,
600
00:28:38,050 --> 00:28:40,344
which may have contributed to
a significant amount of flooding
601
00:28:40,427 --> 00:28:43,305
that eventually compromised
the building's integrity.
602
00:28:43,388 --> 00:28:45,682
But the Romans had
incredible foresight
603
00:28:45,766 --> 00:28:48,060
in preventing these
kinds of calamities,
604
00:28:48,143 --> 00:28:50,938
especially when it came
to critical infrastructure.
605
00:28:51,021 --> 00:28:53,774
Rome's engineers would often
include built-in safeguards
606
00:28:53,857 --> 00:28:56,610
during the planning phase
of their building projects.
607
00:28:56,693 --> 00:28:58,445
While it is
entirely plausible
608
00:28:58,528 --> 00:29:01,490
that the basilica's structural
integrity was compromised
609
00:29:01,573 --> 00:29:05,619
by water damage or some other
unforeseen engineering crisis,
610
00:29:05,702 --> 00:29:07,621
there aren't any signs
of collapse
611
00:29:07,704 --> 00:29:10,290
or significant flooding.
612
00:29:10,374 --> 00:29:12,292
Some suspect
that the basilica
613
00:29:12,376 --> 00:29:14,378
may not have been built
to last.
614
00:29:14,461 --> 00:29:17,923
Rather, its construction may
have been a hasty response
615
00:29:18,006 --> 00:29:19,758
to an outside threat.
616
00:29:19,841 --> 00:29:23,053
The Romans invaded
Britain in 43 CE
617
00:29:23,136 --> 00:29:27,599
and eventually forced
a Celtic tribe called the Iceni
618
00:29:27,683 --> 00:29:28,976
into an alliance.
619
00:29:29,059 --> 00:29:32,771
The Iceni inhabited an area
called East Anglia,
620
00:29:32,854 --> 00:29:36,650
which would later become
present-day Norfolk in England.
621
00:29:36,733 --> 00:29:39,403
After the Romans began
their occupation of Britain,
622
00:29:39,486 --> 00:29:43,824
they demanded that the Iceni
lay down their arms,
623
00:29:43,907 --> 00:29:46,827
and they reluctantly complied.
624
00:29:46,910 --> 00:29:49,579
However,
17 years later, in 60 CE,
625
00:29:49,663 --> 00:29:53,041
the Romans attempted to
take over East Anglia as well.
626
00:29:53,125 --> 00:29:55,460
Queen Boudica of the Iceni
was furious
627
00:29:55,544 --> 00:29:56,837
and decided to lead a rebellion,
628
00:29:56,920 --> 00:29:59,381
marching her forces
into Roman-occupied towns
629
00:29:59,464 --> 00:30:01,091
and setting them ablaze.
630
00:30:01,174 --> 00:30:03,343
The fires of the so-called
Boudican Revolt
631
00:30:03,427 --> 00:30:04,636
would consume several towns,
632
00:30:04,720 --> 00:30:08,306
including London, the crown
jewel of Roman Britain.
633
00:30:08,390 --> 00:30:11,643
The Romans eventually
crushed the Iceni Rebellion,
634
00:30:11,727 --> 00:30:12,853
but it's hard to overstate
635
00:30:12,936 --> 00:30:16,189
how much devastation
was left in its wake.
636
00:30:16,273 --> 00:30:20,068
After the fires, there was
a massive push to rebuild London
637
00:30:20,152 --> 00:30:23,363
and reestablish Roman authority
in the area.
638
00:30:23,447 --> 00:30:26,033
So it could be that
the construction of the basilica
639
00:30:26,116 --> 00:30:27,492
was approved quickly.
640
00:30:27,576 --> 00:30:29,161
Upon completion,
it would have been
641
00:30:29,244 --> 00:30:32,956
one of the most impressive
structures in Roman Britain,
642
00:30:33,040 --> 00:30:35,876
a symbol of Rome's
unbreakable authority.
643
00:30:35,959 --> 00:30:37,711
Just based
on its footprint alone,
644
00:30:37,794 --> 00:30:40,547
there's no doubt the basilica
was an investment
645
00:30:40,630 --> 00:30:42,466
in Rome's imperial presence.
646
00:30:42,549 --> 00:30:44,217
And there's a convincing
argument to be made
647
00:30:44,301 --> 00:30:47,304
that its construction sprang
out of the burning embers
648
00:30:47,387 --> 00:30:48,930
of the Boudican Revolt.
649
00:30:49,014 --> 00:30:52,726
But this doesn't explain its
demolition just decades later.
650
00:30:52,809 --> 00:30:57,397
If the basilica was a tool to
display power, why destroy it?
651
00:31:00,567 --> 00:31:01,693
One theory suggests
that the basilica
652
00:31:01,777 --> 00:31:04,362
may have suddenly
outlived its usefulness
653
00:31:04,446 --> 00:31:06,740
as London continued to evolve.
654
00:31:06,823 --> 00:31:09,910
When the settlement of
Londinium was first established,
655
00:31:09,993 --> 00:31:13,413
it was primarily inhabited
by merchants and traders.
656
00:31:13,497 --> 00:31:16,708
But after the Boudican Revolt,
the population of the city
657
00:31:16,792 --> 00:31:20,253
swelled to as many
as 60,000 people.
658
00:31:20,337 --> 00:31:25,383
So maybe the basilica's original
architects had underestimated
659
00:31:25,467 --> 00:31:28,345
just how powerful
and influential
660
00:31:28,428 --> 00:31:31,556
Roman London would become
in the region.
661
00:31:31,640 --> 00:31:33,433
It wasn't uncommon
for nations that were conquered
662
00:31:33,517 --> 00:31:37,395
by the Romans to suddenly
experience rapid growth.
663
00:31:37,479 --> 00:31:39,106
Elsewhere in the empire
at this time,
664
00:31:39,189 --> 00:31:41,775
Gaul also went through
incredible advancements
665
00:31:41,858 --> 00:31:43,610
within the space of 100 years.
666
00:31:43,693 --> 00:31:46,279
Just like in Britain,
tribal regions were transformed
667
00:31:46,363 --> 00:31:48,782
by an enormous investment
in Roman infrastructure,
668
00:31:48,865 --> 00:31:52,035
like roads and villas, which
in turn led to urbanization
669
00:31:52,119 --> 00:31:54,121
and prosperity in the region.
670
00:31:54,204 --> 00:31:56,915
Around 20 or 30 years
after construction
671
00:31:56,998 --> 00:31:59,209
of the London basilica
was completed,
672
00:31:59,292 --> 00:32:01,128
it was probably obvious
to the Romans
673
00:32:01,211 --> 00:32:04,714
that this once-magnificent
building had become obsolete,
674
00:32:04,798 --> 00:32:07,634
and that a larger, more
ambitious administrative center
675
00:32:07,717 --> 00:32:11,012
was needed to serve
the political and economic needs
676
00:32:11,096 --> 00:32:13,765
of their expanding city.
677
00:32:13,849 --> 00:32:16,434
It is strange to think
such an impressive structure
678
00:32:16,518 --> 00:32:19,729
would have been seen as only
a temporary placeholder.
679
00:32:19,813 --> 00:32:21,982
Why go to all that trouble
unless you were committed
680
00:32:22,065 --> 00:32:25,152
to making a permanent
and long-lasting structure?
681
00:32:25,235 --> 00:32:28,655
But the undeniable fact
is that the basilica was gone
682
00:32:28,738 --> 00:32:31,449
within the span
of a single generation.
683
00:32:31,533 --> 00:32:33,410
Researchers concede
that they have only
684
00:32:33,493 --> 00:32:37,122
scratched the surface of
determining the brief lifespan
685
00:32:37,205 --> 00:32:40,000
and use of London's
first basilica.
686
00:32:40,083 --> 00:32:42,127
The basilica
may have been replaced
687
00:32:42,210 --> 00:32:44,337
for a combination of reasons.
688
00:32:44,421 --> 00:32:46,006
Perhaps it was built in a hurry
689
00:32:46,089 --> 00:32:49,134
in order to project
a symbol of power
690
00:32:49,217 --> 00:32:51,303
after a devastating rebellion,
691
00:32:51,386 --> 00:32:53,346
and because of its
rapid construction,
692
00:32:53,430 --> 00:32:57,392
the basilica may have suffered
from structural flaws.
693
00:32:57,475 --> 00:33:01,021
Couple this with London's
sudden surge in growth
694
00:33:01,104 --> 00:33:03,648
during the early part
of the 1st century,
695
00:33:03,732 --> 00:33:05,692
and the basilicas' demolition
696
00:33:05,775 --> 00:33:08,862
may have been
an inevitable outcome.
697
00:33:08,945 --> 00:33:10,780
We're still early
enough in its excavation
698
00:33:10,864 --> 00:33:12,699
that a significant portion
of the basilica
699
00:33:12,782 --> 00:33:14,868
remains buried under the ground.
700
00:33:14,951 --> 00:33:18,663
Who knows what other clues
may lie beneath the soil?
701
00:33:18,747 --> 00:33:20,874
Until further
evidence can be found,
702
00:33:20,957 --> 00:33:23,335
this monument
to Roman imperialism
703
00:33:23,418 --> 00:33:26,379
remains a mystery that
has yet to be solved.
704
00:33:26,463 --> 00:33:29,799
But for now, the true history
of London's first basilica
705
00:33:29,883 --> 00:33:32,219
is yet to be written.
706
00:33:32,302 --> 00:33:34,888
Around 60 miles south
of Copenhagen,
707
00:33:34,971 --> 00:33:39,059
Falster Island lies along
Denmark's southeastern coast.
708
00:33:39,142 --> 00:33:41,561
{\an8} Falster, which is part
of the rural provincial region
709
00:33:41,645 --> 00:33:45,232
of Lolland-Falster, is home
to about 100,000 people.
710
00:33:45,315 --> 00:33:48,318
The island's flat with
great, fertile farmland,
711
00:33:48,401 --> 00:33:51,863
and there are forests
concentrated in the center
712
00:33:51,947 --> 00:33:53,740
and along the eastern shores.
713
00:33:53,823 --> 00:33:54,866
{\an8}In the medieval period,
714
00:33:54,950 --> 00:33:57,327
{\an8}Falster and the other
southern Danish islands
715
00:33:57,410 --> 00:33:59,913
held strategic value
in the southwestern Baltic,
716
00:33:59,996 --> 00:34:02,582
offering swift access
to major Slavic ports
717
00:34:02,666 --> 00:34:04,834
and supporting lasting
political and economic ties
718
00:34:04,918 --> 00:34:08,922
between Danish
and Slavic powers.
719
00:34:09,005 --> 00:34:11,258
During the 12th
century, Falster had become
720
00:34:11,341 --> 00:34:13,260
a destination for Slavic groups
721
00:34:13,343 --> 00:34:17,264
displaced by Saxon
and German expansion.
722
00:34:17,347 --> 00:34:19,432
{\an8}Linguistic evidence
supports this,
723
00:34:19,516 --> 00:34:21,893
{\an8}with 27 place names on Falster
724
00:34:21,977 --> 00:34:23,770
and 20 on neighboring Lolland
725
00:34:23,853 --> 00:34:26,022
showing probable Slavic origins,
726
00:34:26,106 --> 00:34:30,777
a sign of permanent settlement
and deep cultural integration.
727
00:34:30,860 --> 00:34:34,114
In 2024, north of
the village of Eskilstrup
728
00:34:34,197 --> 00:34:37,450
on Falster Island,
railway construction unearths
729
00:34:37,534 --> 00:34:40,287
remarkable archaeological remains;
730
00:34:40,370 --> 00:34:42,914
finds that challenge
long-held assumptions
731
00:34:42,998 --> 00:34:46,418
about early Scandinavian life.
732
00:34:46,501 --> 00:34:49,379
Excavation revealed
two substantial buildings
733
00:34:49,462 --> 00:34:51,798
attributed to
the Funnel Beaker culture,
734
00:34:51,881 --> 00:34:55,343
one of northern Europe's
earliest farming societies,
735
00:34:55,427 --> 00:34:59,472
{\an8}active from about
4,300 to 2,800 BCE.
736
00:34:59,556 --> 00:35:03,226
The first had 38 postholes,
and the second 35,
737
00:35:03,310 --> 00:35:06,605
and each measuring
roughly 40 by 14 feet.
738
00:35:06,688 --> 00:35:07,939
Both buildings were built
739
00:35:08,023 --> 00:35:11,651
with compacted loam floors;
that's a sand and clay mix
740
00:35:11,735 --> 00:35:13,903
that was a state-of-the-art
construction material
741
00:35:13,987 --> 00:35:14,988
for that period.
742
00:35:15,071 --> 00:35:17,240
Radiocarbon dating places
the first building
743
00:35:17,324 --> 00:35:20,327
between 3080 and 2780 BCE,
744
00:35:20,410 --> 00:35:23,330
with the second building
built shortly afterwards,
745
00:35:23,413 --> 00:35:26,166
around 2800 BCE.
746
00:35:26,249 --> 00:35:28,001
Positioned
on elevated ground,
747
00:35:28,084 --> 00:35:29,502
the buildings had
broad visibility
748
00:35:29,586 --> 00:35:30,920
of the surrounding landscape
749
00:35:31,004 --> 00:35:32,672
and protection from
seasonal flooding
750
00:35:32,756 --> 00:35:35,258
caused by nearby
bogs and streams.
751
00:35:35,342 --> 00:35:37,010
This choice shows
careful planning
752
00:35:37,093 --> 00:35:38,928
and environmental awareness.
753
00:35:39,012 --> 00:35:41,681
But what function did
these structures serve?
754
00:35:41,765 --> 00:35:42,974
Were they simply homes,
755
00:35:43,058 --> 00:35:45,143
or was there something else
going on here?
756
00:35:45,226 --> 00:35:46,853
The site's
careful construction
757
00:35:46,936 --> 00:35:49,689
and distinctive layout
have led some to wonder
758
00:35:49,773 --> 00:35:52,359
if it served
a specialized role.
759
00:35:52,442 --> 00:35:55,445
One standout feature is
a stone paved area,
760
00:35:55,528 --> 00:35:58,031
set just over a foot
below ground level,
761
00:35:58,114 --> 00:36:00,492
measuring roughly
six by five feet,
762
00:36:00,575 --> 00:36:03,662
with partially
stone reinforced walls.
763
00:36:03,745 --> 00:36:07,040
Inside, a dense cluster
of artifacts was found.
764
00:36:07,123 --> 00:36:09,042
Could the combination
of its construction
765
00:36:09,125 --> 00:36:12,962
and the artifacts point
to a ceremonial role?
766
00:36:13,046 --> 00:36:15,715
In total, over 1,200
artifacts were found
767
00:36:15,799 --> 00:36:18,843
clustered in and around
the sunken feature.
768
00:36:18,927 --> 00:36:23,056
These included flint tools,
pottery fragments, burnt bones,
769
00:36:23,139 --> 00:36:26,518
fire-cracked flint, and two
fossilized sea urchins
770
00:36:26,601 --> 00:36:28,561
embedded in the floor layer.
771
00:36:28,645 --> 00:36:30,397
{\an8}This kind of mix is rarely found
772
00:36:30,480 --> 00:36:32,982
{\an8}in ordinary
Neolithic domestic sites,
773
00:36:33,066 --> 00:36:34,693
which strengthens the case
774
00:36:34,776 --> 00:36:37,320
it was built to serve
a ritual function.
775
00:36:39,739 --> 00:36:41,866
Roughly 120 miles
northeast in southern Sweden,
776
00:36:41,950 --> 00:36:43,284
another Funnel Beaker site
777
00:36:43,368 --> 00:36:45,161
shows how Neolithic communities
778
00:36:45,245 --> 00:36:46,538
could deliberately structure
779
00:36:46,621 --> 00:36:48,915
spaces for ceremonial use.
780
00:36:48,998 --> 00:36:51,918
At Hammar,
east of Kristianstad,
781
00:36:52,001 --> 00:36:54,754
archaeologists uncovered
a semicircular enclosure
782
00:36:54,838 --> 00:37:00,510
dating to around
3500 to 3000 BCE.
783
00:37:00,593 --> 00:37:02,387
Measured about 160 feet across,
784
00:37:02,470 --> 00:37:03,847
it was built
on the edge of a wetland,
785
00:37:03,930 --> 00:37:08,643
and it contained elongated pits
up to five feet deep,
786
00:37:08,727 --> 00:37:11,646
some of those lined with stones.
787
00:37:11,730 --> 00:37:15,191
Now, based on the size of this
whole thing and the shape of it,
788
00:37:15,275 --> 00:37:16,693
it seems most likely
789
00:37:16,776 --> 00:37:20,447
that this was a central
gathering place for rituals.
790
00:37:20,530 --> 00:37:22,782
Excavations found
Funnel Beaker pottery,
791
00:37:22,866 --> 00:37:26,619
finely worked flint, horn tools,
a bone fishing hook,
792
00:37:26,703 --> 00:37:29,289
and a leatherworking stylus,
along with animal bones
793
00:37:29,372 --> 00:37:31,124
deliberately fractured
for marrow.
794
00:37:31,207 --> 00:37:33,877
The finds suggest feasts
with ritual butchering,
795
00:37:33,960 --> 00:37:36,296
and the deposition of offerings
both in the wetland
796
00:37:36,379 --> 00:37:38,465
and in the open pits
of the enclosure,
797
00:37:38,548 --> 00:37:41,968
evidence of repeated
organized practices.
798
00:37:42,051 --> 00:37:44,512
At Hammar, vessels
were placed on stones
799
00:37:44,596 --> 00:37:47,182
and bones were put
in specific pits,
800
00:37:47,265 --> 00:37:50,143
forming a clear,
repeated ritual order.
801
00:37:50,226 --> 00:37:52,729
At Eskilstrup, objects like
the sea urchins
802
00:37:52,812 --> 00:37:55,023
could hint at symbolic meaning.
803
00:37:55,106 --> 00:37:56,649
But without consistent patterns,
804
00:37:56,733 --> 00:37:59,819
they may just as easily
reflect natural processes
805
00:37:59,903 --> 00:38:01,654
like sedimentation.
806
00:38:01,738 --> 00:38:05,200
Less than 250 miles
northeast of Falster,
807
00:38:05,283 --> 00:38:07,243
in the Falbygden
region of Sweden,
808
00:38:07,327 --> 00:38:10,330
one of Scandinavia's oldest
stone burial chambers
809
00:38:10,413 --> 00:38:12,165
offers a clear comparison
810
00:38:12,248 --> 00:38:15,585
for what confirmed
funerary use looks like.
811
00:38:15,668 --> 00:38:17,629
At Tiarp,
archaeologists uncovered
812
00:38:17,712 --> 00:38:23,051
an Early Neolithic dolmen
dating to around 3500 BCE,
813
00:38:23,134 --> 00:38:27,138
up to 200 years older than other
passage graves in the area.
814
00:38:27,222 --> 00:38:28,306
Built from large stones,
815
00:38:28,389 --> 00:38:31,768
the chamber features
a recessed niche at each end--
816
00:38:31,851 --> 00:38:33,353
a feature not typically seen
817
00:38:33,436 --> 00:38:36,731
in the region's later
passage grave architecture.
818
00:38:36,815 --> 00:38:38,024
The dolmen
held the remains
819
00:38:38,107 --> 00:38:39,526
of at least a dozen individuals
820
00:38:39,609 --> 00:38:43,363
that ranged in age from infants
to the elderly.
821
00:38:43,446 --> 00:38:45,573
Now, no signs of violent death
were found,
822
00:38:45,657 --> 00:38:51,204
but the larger bones,
like skulls and long bones,
823
00:38:51,287 --> 00:38:52,580
are missing.
824
00:38:52,664 --> 00:38:53,915
In typical megalithic graves,
825
00:38:53,998 --> 00:38:55,875
it's usually the smaller bones
that are missing,
826
00:38:55,959 --> 00:38:57,585
things like hands and feet.
827
00:38:57,669 --> 00:39:00,547
So archaeologists speculate
that maybe what happened here
828
00:39:00,630 --> 00:39:01,881
is that they were removed
829
00:39:01,965 --> 00:39:04,384
as part of some kind
of burial ritual.
830
00:39:04,467 --> 00:39:06,636
Even with its missing
skulls and large bones,
831
00:39:06,719 --> 00:39:09,556
the Tiarp dolmen still shows
the unmistakable traits
832
00:39:09,639 --> 00:39:10,974
of a Neolithic grave--
833
00:39:11,057 --> 00:39:13,852
human remains in
a stone-built chamber.
834
00:39:13,935 --> 00:39:17,897
Eskilstrup's sunken, stone-paved
feature shares a similar form,
835
00:39:17,981 --> 00:39:19,983
but it lacks
the deliberate arrangements
836
00:39:20,066 --> 00:39:22,402
we see at confirmed
burial sites,
837
00:39:22,485 --> 00:39:26,531
which suggests it was built
for another purpose entirely.
838
00:39:26,614 --> 00:39:28,408
If the space
wasn't symbolic,
839
00:39:28,491 --> 00:39:32,203
several features point to
a more practical function.
840
00:39:32,287 --> 00:39:34,080
The stone-paved
sunken chamber
841
00:39:34,163 --> 00:39:36,749
shows careful,
deliberate construction.
842
00:39:36,833 --> 00:39:39,919
In a time without refrigeration,
a subterranean space
843
00:39:40,003 --> 00:39:42,755
could have maintained
stable, cool conditions
844
00:39:42,839 --> 00:39:45,758
for storing grains, meat,
or dairy products.
845
00:39:45,842 --> 00:39:48,928
So was it built to function
as an early cellar?
846
00:39:49,012 --> 00:39:51,264
Subterranean cellars
naturally maintain
847
00:39:51,347 --> 00:39:53,933
stable temperatures
and resist moisture;
848
00:39:54,017 --> 00:39:57,896
conditions ideal for preserving
food across seasons.
849
00:39:57,979 --> 00:40:00,565
The burnt bone fragments
inside the feature
850
00:40:00,648 --> 00:40:02,150
support this possibility.
851
00:40:02,233 --> 00:40:06,279
It could indicate the space
was tied to food processing.
852
00:40:06,362 --> 00:40:09,073
If this was used
as a cellar,
853
00:40:09,157 --> 00:40:11,242
that'd be a significant
breakthrough
854
00:40:11,326 --> 00:40:13,870
in Neolithic
resource management.
855
00:40:13,953 --> 00:40:16,873
Simple earth dug cellars
are known from this period,
856
00:40:16,956 --> 00:40:19,417
but not ones that are
lined with stone.
857
00:40:19,500 --> 00:40:22,754
This would be a very big deal.
858
00:40:22,837 --> 00:40:26,674
About 2,000 miles
southeast in the Jordan Valley,
859
00:40:26,758 --> 00:40:28,468
Neolithic communities developed
860
00:40:28,551 --> 00:40:32,639
a different architectural
solution to the same problem.
861
00:40:32,722 --> 00:40:35,141
At Dhra',
a pre-pottery Neolithic site,
862
00:40:35,224 --> 00:40:38,645
excavations uncovered some of
the world's earliest granaries,
863
00:40:38,728 --> 00:40:43,066
dating back over 11,000 years,
before full plant domestication.
864
00:40:43,149 --> 00:40:45,485
These round structures,
about 10 feet across,
865
00:40:45,568 --> 00:40:48,655
had elevated floors and
mud or stone retaining walls
866
00:40:48,738 --> 00:40:50,448
to control airflow and moisture.
867
00:40:50,531 --> 00:40:52,492
They were located
between houses,
868
00:40:52,575 --> 00:40:54,827
meaning they likely served
the entire community.
869
00:40:54,911 --> 00:40:57,497
The feature at
Eskilstrup on Falster Island
870
00:40:57,580 --> 00:41:01,542
may reflect a domestic-scale
version of this principle.
871
00:41:01,626 --> 00:41:04,671
While Dhra' granaries were built
for communal storage,
872
00:41:04,754 --> 00:41:07,006
the Falster Island structure
could have met
873
00:41:07,090 --> 00:41:08,967
a single household's needs.
874
00:41:09,050 --> 00:41:11,970
If so, it shows how
early settlement architecture
875
00:41:12,053 --> 00:41:15,848
was shaped by the need to manage
and protect food stores.
876
00:41:15,932 --> 00:41:17,809
Ceramic disks
found at the site,
877
00:41:17,892 --> 00:41:19,352
which have typically
been interpreted
878
00:41:19,435 --> 00:41:24,107
as lids or baking plates, also
point to food prep or storage.
879
00:41:24,190 --> 00:41:27,026
However, their placement
within the structure,
880
00:41:27,110 --> 00:41:30,363
rather than in a clearly
defined domestic area,
881
00:41:30,446 --> 00:41:32,657
complicates this interpretation
882
00:41:32,740 --> 00:41:34,867
and raises questions
about whether the space
883
00:41:34,951 --> 00:41:38,204
had additional functions
beyond storage.
884
00:41:38,287 --> 00:41:40,039
In a region
where early farming
885
00:41:40,123 --> 00:41:42,875
and hunter-gatherer practices
overlapped,
886
00:41:42,959 --> 00:41:47,338
the site may reflect a more
complex model of domestic life.
887
00:41:47,422 --> 00:41:50,049
About 250 feet north
of those structures,
888
00:41:50,133 --> 00:41:53,052
archaeologists uncovered
seven straight rows
889
00:41:53,136 --> 00:41:57,306
of small post holes running
north-south over 100 feet,
890
00:41:57,390 --> 00:42:00,143
likely extending beyond
the excavated area.
891
00:42:00,226 --> 00:42:03,312
Their even spacing
suggests fencing
892
00:42:03,396 --> 00:42:05,773
rather than something
like a defensive wall.
893
00:42:05,857 --> 00:42:07,567
So could all of this have been
894
00:42:07,650 --> 00:42:10,653
part of a big, shared
living space?
895
00:42:10,737 --> 00:42:12,238
At both ends
of the fence lines,
896
00:42:12,321 --> 00:42:14,907
the spacing widens to 16 feet,
897
00:42:14,991 --> 00:42:16,075
and along the southern boundary
898
00:42:16,159 --> 00:42:19,037
a 10-foot gap framed
by larger posts
899
00:42:19,120 --> 00:42:21,247
may have served
as a formal gateway.
900
00:42:21,330 --> 00:42:23,082
This arrangement could
have guided movement
901
00:42:23,166 --> 00:42:24,375
or separate areas,
902
00:42:24,459 --> 00:42:28,504
possibly for livestock, storage,
food processing, or waste,
903
00:42:28,588 --> 00:42:29,589
all features consistent
904
00:42:29,672 --> 00:42:31,841
with the sedentary,
nucleated village life
905
00:42:31,924 --> 00:42:33,968
characteristic
of Neolithic culture.
906
00:42:34,052 --> 00:42:36,804
Over 350 miles
south of Falster,
907
00:42:36,888 --> 00:42:39,557
near Kutná Hora
in the Czech Republic,
908
00:42:39,640 --> 00:42:42,268
a Neolithic settlement provides
one of the clearest
909
00:42:42,351 --> 00:42:45,313
preserved examples
of domestic architecture
910
00:42:45,396 --> 00:42:47,356
and planned village layout.
911
00:42:47,440 --> 00:42:51,069
At Dobren, a 7,000-year-old
Neolithic settlement,
912
00:42:51,152 --> 00:42:53,237
excavations uncovered
the outlines
913
00:42:53,321 --> 00:42:55,615
of four wooden longhouses,
914
00:42:55,698 --> 00:42:59,786
each about 16 feet wide
and up to 65 feet long,
915
00:42:59,869 --> 00:43:02,371
alongside pits that were
first dug for clay
916
00:43:02,455 --> 00:43:04,582
and later repurposed for water.
917
00:43:04,665 --> 00:43:06,584
Artifact groupings
include cooking
918
00:43:06,667 --> 00:43:07,668
and storage pottery,
919
00:43:07,752 --> 00:43:10,129
flint blades for hunting
and harvesting,
920
00:43:10,213 --> 00:43:12,715
and polished stone axes
and milling stones.
921
00:43:12,799 --> 00:43:15,384
All evidence of
food production, carpentry,
922
00:43:15,468 --> 00:43:17,428
and other household activities.
923
00:43:17,512 --> 00:43:19,764
The settlement's location
between two streams
924
00:43:19,847 --> 00:43:21,474
provided fresh water,
925
00:43:21,557 --> 00:43:25,228
but sat on soil too poor
for long-term farming.
926
00:43:25,311 --> 00:43:27,855
Dobren's combination
of longhouse architecture,
927
00:43:27,939 --> 00:43:32,527
domestic tools, and clearly
defined refuse areas
928
00:43:32,610 --> 00:43:35,321
{\an8}points to a clearly
settled community.
929
00:43:35,404 --> 00:43:38,157
{\an8}Falster shares elements
of that organization,
930
00:43:38,241 --> 00:43:41,285
{\an8}but it lacks the clearly
preserved longhouse structures,
931
00:43:41,369 --> 00:43:44,330
{\an8}and that leaves
its true purpose uncertain.
932
00:43:44,413 --> 00:43:49,168
{\an8}We may never know whether
it was domestic or ceremonial
933
00:43:49,252 --> 00:43:50,837
{\an8}or something else.
934
00:43:50,920 --> 00:43:54,632
{\an8} In the end, Falster
offers no definitive answers.
935
00:43:54,715 --> 00:43:57,635
{\an8}Its design shows
planning and intent,
936
00:43:57,718 --> 00:44:02,140
{\an8}but its role in the Neolithic
landscape remains a mystery.