Ancient Roman baths — with changing room and iron window grates — unearthed in Spain
Archaeologists in Spain unearthed well-preserved Roman public baths in the town of Mérida, according to city officials.
Several parts of the ancient structure were discovered during the excavations, according to an Aug. 8 Facebook post from the Mérida Monumental City Consortium.
Experts identified the baths’ apodyterium — which is a dressing room, according to PBS. The changing room would have been the entry to the baths, and it would have been equipped with storage for bathers to put their clothing and belongings.
A set of intact iron bars was also discovered at the site, according to the city consortium. The bars would have covered a window. A similar set belonging to a kitchen were discovered in the 1960s.
The artifacts were found among bricks and tiles, indicating that the walls and roof of the room collapsed, experts said.
The baths were discovered in Mérida, which was formerly the Roman town of Augusta Emerita, according Britannica. Augusta Emerita was founded in 25 B.C., and it quickly became one of the most important and powerful towns on the Iberian peninsula during the Roman Empire.
Mérida is about 210 miles southwest of Madrid.
Facebook and Google Translate were used to translate the Facebook post from the Mérida Monumental City Consortium.
This story was originally published August 14, 2023 at 4:48 PM with the headline "Ancient Roman baths — with changing room and iron window grates — unearthed in Spain."
