Archaeologists Baffled by Ancient Roman Jar Full of Holes

Posted on August 19, 2011

LiveScience reports that archaeologists have no idea what this ancient Roman jar filled with tiny holes was for.

There is also a hole at the bottom of the jar. The clay vessel was found in pieces in a storage room at the Museum of Ontario Archaeology. The reconstructed pottery is believed to be from the Roman Britain period - about 1,800 years ago.

Some of the ideas for what the jar may have been used for include animal container, lamp, snake jar and dormouse snack jar. None of the ideas seem to fit the hole riddled jar very well. The puzzling jar is currently on display at a Roman Britain exhibit at the Museum of Ontario Archaeology.

ARCHAEOLOGY