Mysterious 'Winged' Structure from Ancient Rome Discovered [UK]

LiveScience ^ | Sunday, January 22, 2012 | Owen Jarus

[SunkenCiv]

A recently discovered mysterious "winged" structure in England, which in the Roman period may have been used as a temple, presents a puzzle for archaeologists, who say the building has no known parallels.

Built around 1,800 years ago, the structure was discovered in Norfolk, in eastern England, just to the south of the ancient town of Venta Icenorum. The structure has two wings radiating out from a rectangular room that in turn leads to a central room.

"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. The investigation was carried out in conjunction with the Norfolk Archaeological and Historical Research Group.

The winged shape of the building appears to be unique in the Roman Empire, with no other example known. "It's very unusual to find a building like this where you have no known parallels for it," Bowden told LiveScience. "What they were trying to achieve by using this design is really very difficult to say."

The building appears to have been part of a complex that includes a villa to the north and at least two other structures to the northeast and northwest. An aerial photograph suggests the existence of an oval or polygonal building with an apse located to the east...

Sometime after the demise of this wing-shaped structure, another building, this one decorated, was built over it. Archaeologists found post holes from it with painted wall plaster inside.

[SunkenCiv]

The Y-shaped Roman structure, discovered in eastern England in the Norfolk area, can be seen in this aerial shot. Nothing like it has been discovered before from the Roman Empire. Sometime later another Roman structure (whose postholes can be seen) was built on top of it. [CREDIT: Michael Page]	This diagram shows the Y-shaped Roman building, which dates back around 1,800 years. Sometime later another Roman structure, whose postholes remain, was built on top of it. [CREDIT: William Bowden]	The archaeological team inside the postholes from the later Roman building. Decorated wall plaster was excavated from them. [CREDIT: William Bowden]

[MachIV]

Another wild story for George Norey.

[SunkenCiv]

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[Doogle]

[Doogle]

"...probably a local structure, likely an asylum built to hold people who constantly dug holes claiming discoveries"

[reed13k]

First thing that comes to my mind is a barracks with horse stables...likely temporary, but then what do I know...

[Happy Rain]

Cargo Cult caused by a stealth bomber getting caught in a time warp and appearing in the skies above.

Happens all the time.

[Earthdweller]

Awesomeness. I love the stories that the old buildings tell. In this case, so little is left of it, but it says so much.

[Apollo5600]

It’s an ancient alien landing site. Call Colonel O’Niel and Tielk.

[SMARTY]

Here we go!! Now wtch for the guy with the wild hair on ‘Ancient Aliens’ to flesh out another bizzare scenario about what it is

[Earthdweller]

It looks like an early hospital/nursing home or asylum design. A prison would not have had the open courtyard.

[FReepaholic]

...may have been used as a temple...

Or not.

[Adder]

According to commenter Wayne, its a theater, CLEARLY.

LOL

[SueRae]

Kinda neat. I don’t recall a single Roman structure without square, rectangular or circular features. This is the first parallelogram I’ve seen.

[Fresh Wind]

1800 years ago, someone decided to play a trick on the archeologists of the future.

[Bigg Red]

LOL

[oh8eleven]

Nothing like it has been discovered before from the Roman Empire.
The first Y-MCA. Who knew?

[RobertClark]

My theory has been confirmed: The Village People were, in fact, time travelers.

[nascarnation]

LOL they’re actually performing here in Indy tonight as part of the pre-Superbowl festivities.

[PastorBooks]

“It’s an ancient alien landing site. Call Colonel O’Niel and Tielk.”

Indeed.

:)