During construction work on the Brusselsestraat in Leuven, archaeologists have discovered a remarkably well-preserved wooden water pipe from the Roman era. The city council has described it as a “unique and exceptional find”.
The discovery was made at the ‘Blauwe Hoek’, where a student residence is currently being built. As part of the required archaeological survey, a 20 to 30 metre long wooden pipeline was found at a depth of about four metres, consisting of connected hollow tree trunks of about 1.75 metres each. The remains of a possible pumping system were also uncovered nearby.
While wooden pipes are occasionally found in other Belgian towns, such as Tienen and Tongeren, they are usually badly decayed. In this case, the waterlogged, marshy soil preserved the wood. “We are in a valley, basically a swamp,” explains local alderman Dirk Vansina (CD&V). “Because the wood was cut off from oxygen, it remained intact.”
Prosperous settlement
The pipe is thought to date from the 1st to 3rd century AD, based on its position under a layer of Roman soil. Tree ring analysis will be used to determine the exact age. The find suggests that the site was once a prosperous settlement, as Roman infrastructure of this kind implies a certain standard of living.
The logs will now be removed for further study and conservation, and may be displayed in the future. Other Roman artefacts, including pottery and fragments of roof tiles, have also been found at the site, along with medieval remains such as cesspits, coins and pottery.
