A mysterious blue artefact under Gosposvetska Street in Ljubljana

In the heart of Slovenia’s capital, that you will instantly fall in love with - Ljubljana, an interesting discovery was made during a 10-month archaeological excavation under one of the main streets in the city centre, Gosposvetska cesta. In the beginning, what archaeologists expected to find were graves and sarcophagus, and they were pleasantly surprised by the large number of them, as well as the interesting architecture of the cemetery, which covered the area in the past. But above all the finds, the most outstanding one was a unique artefact – a mysterious blue glass bowl, found next to the remnants of a female body in a tomb, located at the centre of the former cemetery.

"Drink, so you will live forever"

The blue bowl is decorated with motives of grapevines and a Greek inscription on the inside of the bowl, translated as “Drink, so you will live forever, for many years”. Historians and archaeologists say there is almost no doubt that the cemetery is from the age of early Christianity, which means that the bowl is around 1700 years old. Not only is the well-preserved blue glass bowl itself very interesting and puzzling but also a mysterious woman, next to whom it was found. It is believed that she wasn’t an ordinary citizen, but rather an important and prestigious individual, who was later buried with this precious artefact, which was also quite likely her property.

Come and see it yourself

The finds from Gosposvetska street have been introduced in the February edition of the Slovenian National Geographic, and an article regarding this subject was also posted on the National Geographic’s main website, read by millions of people all over the world. The special blue artefact can be seen in the City Museum of Ljubljana until the end of March, but don’t worry if you happen not to be in Slovenia at the time. After the end of March, the museum will create a special place for the blue bowl within a permanent exhibition called "Ljubljana. History. City".

If you are a fan of history and enjoy seeing and hearing about mysterious archeological finds, then you can’t miss out the opportunity to observe this unique artefact up close. The blue glass bowl, dating back to the 4th century, as well as other diverse finds of Slovenia, its capital Ljubljana and Gosposvetska Street will impress you and make your experience even more enriching.

The City Museum Ljubljana

Gosposka ulica 15, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia