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18th century cold bath found in Bath Assembly Rooms

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Archaeologists conducting excavations in the basement of the Bath Assembly Rooms have uncovered an 18th century cold bath.

The Bath Assembly Rooms, located in Bath, England, were designed by John Wood the Younger in 1769 to provide a place for social gatherings, including balls, concerts, teas, and gambling. ‘Polite society’ flocked to the Assembly Rooms, including the novelists Jane Austen and Charles Dickens, and the painter Thomas Gainsborough.

Excavations in the basement have unearthed the remnants of a once-popular health practice: a Cold Bath, which was used for ‘taking the waters’. According to the researchers, the cold bath could be the only one of its kind located in a historic assembly room, providing unique insights into 18th century society.

Bath was renowned for its hot mineral water and emerged as sought-after destination for thermal bathing since the Roman period when it was known as Aquae Sulis, meaning “the waters of Sulis”.

In the 18th century, medical professionals endorsed cold baths as a therapeutic measure for both men and women to address various physical and mental ailments. They prescribed a routine of frequent, if not daily, immersion in cold water for brief intervals, followed by a swift warming process.

According to a press announcement by the National Trust: “There was a surge in plunge pools and cold baths in private houses and estates along with public facilities in Bath and other towns, however the location of the one at the Assembly Rooms suggests it would have been more exclusive, and for those wanting a more private cold bath experience.”

The Cold Bath was one of many rooms in the building. The New Bath Guide of 1778 noted “…a commodious cold-bath, with convenient dressing-rooms,” and there were rooms for billiards, coffee and gambling along with spaces for balls and concerts, making it a ‘one-stop-shop’ for all leisure, health and entertainment needs.

Underneath one end of the Ballroom lies a trio of chambers: the central space houses the Cold Bath, flanked by dressing rooms on either side. The excavation process entailed the removal of a subsequent flooring structure that had been laid over the Cold Bath, along with the removal of a substantial volume of debris. This revealed the ancient steps leading into the bath, its meticulously crafted stone walls, and an alcove designed to accommodate a statue or sculpture.

It is probable that individuals seeking access to the bath would have arrived, potentially by sedan chair, and gained entry from the street through a staircase located in the northeast corner of the Assembly Rooms, rather than utilising the main entrance to the building.

During WW2, German bombing by the Luftwaffe damaged the Assembly Rooms. In the years after the war, the cold bath was filled in with rubble and buried beneath a 20th century floor.

Tatjana LeBoff, National Trust Project Curator explained: “There are many elements of this discovery that are still a mystery. The Cold Bath at the Assembly Rooms is highly unusual. It is a rare, if not unique, surviving example, and possibly it was the only one ever built in an assembly room.”

“It is unlikely men and women of status would have used the Cold Bath together so there could have been different days or times when they were available to each. We are still researching records, letters, diaries and other documents to see what more we can find out that will help us piece it all together,” added LeBoff.

National Trust

Header Image Credit : National Trust – James Beck

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Archaeology

Archaeologists excavate one of Europe’s largest Neolithic settlements

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Archaeologists are excavating a fortified settlement associated with the Linear Pottery Culture at Eilsleben in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.

The Linear Pottery Culture (LBK) is a major archaeological horizon of the European Neolithic period from 5500 to 4500 BC.

The site at Eilsleben was first identified during the 1920’s, revealing one of Central Europe’s largest Neolithic settlements.

Excavations conducted from 1974 to 1989 unearthed the remnants of ancient homes, numerous burials, and pits likely used for ritualistic human and animal sacrifices.

The settlement phases of the site can be divided into two distinct periods.

The earliest phase features north-south oriented dwellings, as well as remnants of a defensive trench measuring up to 3 metres in width. In the later phase, a central spring was fortified with a rampart, palisade and ditch, with further structural changes to form a giant trapezoidal structure.

Archaeologists from the State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology (LDA) Saxony-Anhalt recently excavated a 200-square-metre area to carry out a sediment analysis, along with micromorphological and phytolith studies.

Using these modern scientific methods, the researchers hope to understand the site formation, as well as the levels of occupational activity within the wider settlement area.

Excavations also found extensive find material, consisting of pottery vessel fragments, stone implements (e.g., blades, arrowheads, axes) and bone and antler objects.

According to the archaeologists, the find material is providing deeper insights into the interactions between the region’s earliest farmers in the fertile Magdeburg Börde and the contemporary hunter-gatherer societies.

The LDA said: “The excavations are already showing that the Neolithic settlement remains are surprisingly well preserved. The excavators found post holes of houses as well as the remains of wattle and daub house walls. The concentrations of finds are enabling conclusions to be drawn about the use of the spaces within the settlement.”

Header Image Credit : LDA

Sources : State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology (LDA) Saxony-Anhalt

This content was originally published on www.heritagedaily.com – © 2023 – HeritageDaily

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Archaeology

Guardian statue uncovered at Banteay Prey Nokor

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Archaeologists from the APSARA National Authority have uncovered a guardian statue at the Banteay Prey Nokor temple complex in Kompong Cham, Cambodia.

Known locally as the temple of “Wat Nokor in Khum of Kompong Siem”, or “Wat Angkor”, Banteay Prey Nokor was constructed during the reign of Jayavarman VII (AD 1181–1218), the first king devoted to Buddhism in the Khmer Empire.

The complex covers an area of 37 acres and consists of a central tower surrounded by four laterite wall enclosures made from sandstone and laterite.

In addition to being the largest ancient temple complex in Kampong Cham Province, it has several distinguishing features. One of the most notable is its construction from black sandstone, which sets it apart from other temples of the period, typically built from brick or reddish sandstone.

Image Credit : Phouk Chea / Chea Sarith

Archaeologists from the Department of Preservation and Archaeology at the APSARA Authority recently excavated one of the gateways of Banteay Prey Nokor, clearing away layers of rubble from the collapsed upper structure.

Upon removing the rubble material, a guardian door statue was uncovered to the right of the eastern entrance to the gateway. The statue is broken into six pieces – breaking at the neck, the left forearm, the waist, and below the knees of both legs.

According to the researchers, the statue, which originally stood at a height of around 1.6 metres, is of the Bayon style, in reference to the Bayon state temple of Jayavarman VII at the centre of Jayavarman’s capital, Angkor Thom.

“The sandstone gate guardian will now be stored at the Preah Norodom Sihanouk-Angkor Museum,” Angkor Wat’s heritage police said in a statement. “It will be preserved and studied further.”

Header Image Credit : Phouk Chea / Chea Sarith

Sources : APSARA National Authority

This content was originally published on www.heritagedaily.com – © 2023 – HeritageDaily

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