April 11, 2013

Fabulous artifacts from around 2,000 years ago—dating to the time when London was called Londinium and was ruled by the Romans—have been discovered in the city’s financial district. The find was made by archaeologists working in advance of construction on a new headquarters for Bloomberg L.P., the media company owned by Michael Bloomberg, current mayor of New York City. More than 50 archaeologists from the Museum of London Archaeology are working on the Roman site.

Hadrian's Wall, built by the Romans in the A.D. 120's, protected England from northern raiders. Roman ruins remain in many parts of England, including London and Bath. (c ZEFA)

The artifacts found at the building site were much more numerous and much better preserved than archaeologists had imagined. The site is so well preserved because of its location. Being encased in the heavy mud created by the Walbrook, one of London’s many underground rivers, helped to save the Roman antiquities, which would have simply rotted away in ordinary soil. Some of the Roman objects found include pottery, jewelry, shoes (hundreds of them), and coins. Archaeologists were especially excited to find tablets with writing, since few written documents from this period and area have survived. They also found a carved amber amulet, or luck charm, in the shape of a gladiator’s helmet. In addition to objects, an entire streetscape of wooden structures was discovered 40 feet (12 meters) beneath the ground. This preserved Roman street led the media to dub the site the “Pompeii of the North.”

The building site is also home to the Temple of Mithras, Walbrook, which was discovered in the 1950′s. Mithra, or Mithras, was a Persian god of light. His mystery cult became popular among Roman soldiers and slaves from around A.D. 100 to 300.

When completed, the Bloomberg headquarters will include an entrance to the Roman temple and a museum to house the artifacts found on the site.

Additional World Book articles:

• Ancient Rome
• Archaeology
• Archaeology (1954 Back in time)

New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg has planted the 500,000^th tree–a pin oak–as part of the city’s Million Trees Campaign. Beyond beautifying the city, trees help clean the air by absorbing carbon dioxide and producing oxygen. They also lower surrounding temperatures and reduce storm water runoff.

Launched in 2007, the Million Trees Campaign is one year ahead of schedule. The campaign is a partnership between New York City and the New York Restoration Project, a nonprofit agency founded by entertainer Bette Midler. The city is planting trees on streets and in parks. The Restoration Project is focusing on the addition of trees to the grounds of cemeteries, churches, housing projects, and libraries. It is also offering free trees to encourage New Yorkers to plant in their own yards.

Additional Year Book article:

• Trees Under Threat (a special report)