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Lost for 1800 Years, a Mysterious Altar Linked to an Ancient Roman Cult Resurfaces as Drought Drains Europe’s Rivers
An unexpected discovery by archaeologists has revealed an ancient cult object in the suddenly shallow waters of one of Europe’s longest rivers.
The discovery involves a portion of a limestone altar found near Dunaújváros in Hungary, uncovered during surveys of a riverbed located near Szalki Island.
Taking advantage of unusually low water levels in Europe this summer, archaeologists with the Intercisa Museum and Attila J. Tóth, a diver who specializes in underwater archaeology, had initially been searching for the possible remains of a medieval Pentelic Monastery in a portion of the Danube River.
The current drought conditions in Europe have revealed portions of the riverbed that are normally inaccessible. In recent days, the falling waters of the Danube and other waterways have also revealed several examples of archaeological features left over from the ancient Roman world.
Instead of the Pentelic Monastery they had hoped to find, Intercisa Museum archaeologists uncovered a fragmentary portion of a Roman altar dedicated to Jupiter, whose worship comprised the supreme public religion of ancient Rome.
Additional discoveries included fragments of tablets also made from limestone, adding to the surprises low water levels in the region have helped reveal this summer.
Ancient Intercisa’s Mysteries Emerge
Approximately 1,800 years ago, the Roman settlement of Intercisa was located where Dunaújváros stands today. This ancient military complex formed a significant part of the military infrastructure that connected parts of ancient Europe, and at such sites, it was common for Roman military personnel to establish altars devoted to Jupiter.
In past discoveries, many of these altars display explicit links to the military sites where they were found, including names of personnel, units, or other information linking them to sites like Intercisa, offering a look at the religious devotion undertaken as part of daily life at Roman frontier military outposts.
Discoveries—and Dangers—of Field Archaeology in Europe
Complicating archaeological work in the area had been the additional discovery of what was suspected of being an unexploded World War II munition, although the object was removed so that it could be disarmed.
According to some estimates, there are as many as millions of tons of unexploded ordnance leftover from World War II that are still buried across Europe. Around 10% of all the explosives dropped by Allied and Axis forces reportedly failed to detonate upon impact.
The discovery of these long-dormant explosives is a fairly common occurrence in Europe at construction sites, archaeological digs, and river dredging. The discovery of these objects sometimes also results in emergency evacuations and transit shutdowns.
A View of the Ancient Roman World at Intercisa
Right now, the discoveries are revealing new insights into the known activities that were undertaken at Intercisa.
In the days ahead, archaeologists with the Intercisa Museum hope that additional discoveries can be made while the Danube’s waters remain so low, although they warn that anyone who discovers artifacts in such newly exposed areas of the riverbed must report archaeological discoveries and also be wary of the possible discovery of remnant World War II explosives.
The limestone altar is only one of many archaeological features from the ancient Roman world that drought conditions in Europe have revealed recently in the Danube. Previously, The Debrief also reported that portions of Constantine’s bridge have recently resurfaced from the famous river’s waters.
Archaeologists with the Intercisa Museum also report recent discoveries that include a fragment of a Roman tombstone that still features traces of paint, as well as a large and nearly intact statue that they have retrieved from the Danube’s shallow or empty riverbeds—all of which add to the archaeological heritage that has long been preserved beneath Europe’s waterways.
Micah Hanks is the Editor-in-Chief and Co-Founder of The Debrief. A longtime reporter on science, defense, and technology with a focus on space and astronomy, he can be reached at micah@thedebrief.org. Follow him on X @MicahHanks, and at micahhanks.com.
