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- Written by Helen Burchell
- BBC News, Buckinghamshire
image source, oxford archeology
This egg was thrown into a water hole 1,700 years ago – probably as part of a Roman funeral ritual.
The only intact chicken egg discovered in Roman Britain is now said to be the only one of its kind in the world after scientists discovered it still had liquid inside. It is considered.
The egg is approximately 1,700 years old and was discovered during excavations in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire.
Researchers said at the time that this was a “truly unique discovery”.
However, they recently admitted they were “surprised” to discover it still contained egg yolks and egg whites.
A micro-CT scan, which produces 3D images, revealed the contents of the eggs, including the air sacs.
Scans confirm Roman egg found in Aylesbury is intact
Edward Biddulph, senior project manager at Oxford Archaeology, who oversaw the excavation, said finding the only intact egg from that time in Britain was “remarkable…but it still retains its original contents.” That fact is completely unbelievable.” .
“I was really surprised when I saw what was inside. I might have expected the contents to leak out,” he said.
The egg was discovered along with others during excavations carried out between 2007 and 2016 ahead of the Berryfields housing development in Aylesbury.
image source, oxford archaeologist
Archaeologists needed to prevent eggs from breaking when removing them during excavations
It was the only egg to survive unscathed, but others cracked during excavation and emitted a “strong stench.”
The site’s discovery was announced in 2019, and Biddulph said at the time that the extent and scope of the discovery was “beyond expectations.”
But even after several years, the Roman egg is “still revealing its secrets,” he said.
The latest research was carried out by conservator Dana Goodburn-Brown, who took the eggs to the University of Kent to be scanned.
“It produced amazing images that show that apart from the egg being intact, which is incredible enough, it also holds fluid inside, probably coming from things like the yolk and albumen.” Biddulph said.
image source, oxford archeology
The remains of the basket found with the eggs in the hole were recreated by basket maker Owen Jones
The egg was also taken to the Natural History Museum in London, where Douglas Russell, senior curator of the museum’s bird egg and nest collection, and colleague Ariana Bernucci preserved the egg and did not break it. I was consulted on how to remove the contents.
Mr Russell said: “There are old eggs that have contents, for example. [museum] A series of mummified bird eggs are on display, probably excavated from the Sacred Animal Catacombs at Dendera in Upper Egypt in 1898, but may be older.
“But this is the oldest unintentionally preserved bird egg I’ve ever seen. That’s what makes it fascinating.”
“We will now use the latest imaging and analysis techniques available at the museum to see if we can further uncover exactly which species laid the eggs and their potential archaeological significance.” It’s very exciting to do.”
Mr Biddulph said: “As he found out when he visited the Natural History Museum, [it] It is thought to be the oldest known example in the world. ”
The archaeologist admitted that “walking around London with a 2,000-year-old egg was a bit daunting”.
“The tube was a little hairy, but it was well protected, but I wasn’t carrying it around in my pocket.”
The egg is now housed at the Discover Bucks Museum in Aylesbury, where researchers are continuing to find a way to extract its contents without breaking the shell.
“It’s a bit like inflating an egg, but it’s obviously a much more detailed process,” Biddulph said.
“There is great potential for further scientific research and this is the next step in the life of this amazing egg.”
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