The Mystery of the Fire in Deultum: Why a Roman Hid in a Jar

Archaeologists in Bulgaria have discovered the skeleton of a young man who hid inside a clay pithos vessel during a fire in the ancient city of Deultum about 1,600 years ago. The victim, clutching a knife, died from smoke inhalation. The find dates to around 400 AD.

An archaeological team led by Professor Lyudmil Vagalinsky of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences made a grim discovery in the ruins of a defensive tower at the western gate of the ancient city of Deultum in Bulgaria. Inside a large clay pithos—a vessel used in Roman times for storing grain, oil, or wine—the skeleton of a young man was found. The position of the remains indicates he was not buried but climbed into the vessel to escape danger: his legs were drawn up, knees pressed to his chin. In one hand, the victim clutched an iron knife; another smaller knife was attached to a ring. Layers of ash and charcoal suggest the tower was destroyed by a fierce fire. Researchers believe the man entered the pithos after the fire started, hoping to wait out the attack, but died from smoke inhalation. The tragedy dates to around 400 AD, a period when the Roman province of Thrace was regularly subjected to raids. After the fire, the tower ruins were filled in and rebuilt, so the builders of the new fortification were unaware of the hidden remains. The discovery helps scientists better understand the dramatic events of the late Roman history of the region.