A rare Roman alignment plate was discovered in Nezamyslice and Kojetín during large-scale rescue excavations related to the construction of the high-speed rail line. The Archaeological Center of Olomouc (ACO) is conducting rescue excavations on the project. This extremely well-preserved artifact is believed to have been used to produce electrical wires through wire drawing techniques. All excavation sites have uncovered more than 1,000 archaeological features dating from the Early Bronze Age to the Roman Empire. Experts predict the unique tool will provide important insights into ancient manufacturing methods and may reveal how Roman legionnaires made their famous chain mail. The ACO is currently studying the artifact to determine its metallurgical composition and understand its connections to trade networks beyond the Roman Empire’s formal northern borders.
Rare 2,000-year-old Roman metalworking tools unearthed demonstrate advanced technology
As archaeologists point out, the discovery of specialized metalworking calibration plates at the excavation site is of considerable significance in providing evidence that advanced Roman metalworking techniques were spread or used outside the empire, possibly for the local manufacture or repair of advanced military equipment, such as chainmail, in areas occupied by Germanic tribes. Archaeological Center Olomouc (ACO).
Millennium Records of the Hana River Basin
Due to the construction upgrade of the Brno-Przerov railway line, especially the section of the high-speed railway line from Nezamyslice to Kojetin, the ACO carried out rescue excavations in the area, which is more than 1.2 kilometers long. In addition to tools from the Roman period, the site also contains numerous remains demonstrating thousands of years of human occupation of the Hana River Basin, with evidence of the Vitezhov and Urn cultures found at the site. Archaeologists have also documented various historical features, including the remains of later houses, lime kilns and numerous ceremonial sites.
Mapping economic networks through Bronze Age evidence
The Olomouc Archaeological Center now houses all the discovered artifacts, including calibration plates, stone casting molds and crucibles. Due to the large number of items, preparations are currently underway for conservation and research. Experts are conducting spectral analysis of the calibration plates to look for possible traces of material produced by the object, which could help indicate that the object was used to make wires. Researchers are also examining stone molds collected during the project and linking them to local workshops to understand whether they were production centers for specialized bronze artifacts, providing a better understanding of how ancient communities participated in larger economic and technological systems.
