Roman-Era Bath Identified in Bulgaria

VARNA, BULGARIA—Archaeology in Bulgaria reports that a public bath complex dating to the fifth century A.D. has been uncovered in the ancient city of Odessos, which is located on the Black Sea coast. At first, archaeologists led by Elina Mircheva of the Varna Museum of Archaeology thought the well-decorated structure, which featured a water-storage facility and a fountain, might have been part of a nymphaeum, or shrine dedicated to divine spirits often depicted as beautiful young women. Recent excavations, however, revealed an underfloor heating system typical of Roman public baths, and more than 200 coins thought to have been lost by bathers. Mircheva suggested that the building may have been modified during the medieval period for water storage. To read about Pompeii's public Stabian Baths, go to "Digging Deeper into Pompeii's Past: Water and Bathing."