Conservation raises the question: archaeologists have excavated an unusual wicker well in Norfolk (photo)

To spread: archaeologists in England have made an exceptional discovery in the Norfolk - a well of the Roman era, created from a wicker vine, which for almost two millennia has hardly been destroyed. This raises the question of how such a fragile material has stood the test time. The well found gives a rare opportunity to look into everyday life while Romans in Britain. Excavations conducted under the leadership of Oxford Archaeology are part of a larger study of the Roman settlement.

Although several wells have already been detected in this place, this is distinguished by its exceptional condition. Researchers believe that the underground environment, namely wetlands and lack of oxygen, contributed to the preservation of organic braided and wooden elements. Scientists add that the design itself, vertical wooden supports and the pruned wood, processed for reinforcement, is similar to the giant basket found in the ground.

The team also found fragments of wooden structure in the well, which were probably once part of the ladder. Archaeologists dug only one rail and one step, but their location indicates the possibility of using it to lift to water. Due to the limited number of preserved fragments, the exact design function remains the subject of discussions among experts. Wells of the Roman era are often a rich source of historical materials, and this find is not an exception.

Previous excavations have revealed objects from household tools to ritual gifts. Some of them even contained burned bones, ceramic fragments and marble objects. To protect and share this brittle artifact, researchers have created a 3D skan of high resolution, which allows the public to explore it without damaging the original wicker structure. This find opens a rare window in Roman construction techniques and everyday customs in ancient Britain more than 2 thousand years ago.