A "winged" structure is puzzling archaeologists in Norfolk, England.
It is believed to have been built around 1,800 years ago and may have been used as a temple. There are no other known examples of the winged shape of the building – it appears to be unique in the Roman Empire.
"Generally speaking, [during] the Roman Empire people built within a fixed repertoire of architectural forms," said William Bowden, a professor at the University of Nottingham, who reported the find in the most recent edition of the Journal of Roman Archaeology.
Bowden said few artefacts were found at the site and none that could be linked to the winged structure with certainty.
Archaeologists are not certain about the purpose of the building. While its elevated position made it visible from the town of Venta Icenorum, the foundations of the radiating wings are weak.
A thin layer of rammed clay and chalk makes up the foundation of the two wings and the rectangular room. However, the foundation of the central room is made of lime mortar mixed with clay and small pieces of brick and flint.
"It's possible that this was a temporary building constructed for a single event or ceremony, which might account for its insubstantial construction,' says Bowden.
"Alternatively the building may represent a shrine or temple on a hilltop close to a Roman road, visible from the road as well as from the town."
Archaeology/History
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