Bronze Age Sauna Discovered

A roundhouse and sauna, from the Iron ages has been uncovered near junction A358 and the M5 at Cumbria Farm, in Taunton, Somerset, England, March 2009. 

Ancient sauna cultures is often associated with Scandinavian countries and are not really associated with England, however, fresh evidence of potential Bronze Age sauna sites suggest sauna culture was not necessarily restricted to tight geographical locations, but rather were broadly spread across many different cultures and a broader geographical base.

The roundhouse is said to be approximately 3,000 years old and measures 56 feet (17m) in diameter and is one of the largest roundhouses to be ever found in Britain.

A mound of burned stones at the sites suggests a sauna may have stood there, around 700BC, along with the remains of a Roman farm.

Archaeologists have also unearthed a number of Roman skeletons, and one other none Roman skeleton.  The personnel working on this project have spent more than three months digging and researching the site and have found many artefacts, including one pair of Roman shears, Roman brooches, three Iron Age spearheads, some loom weight and a vast amount of pottery.

Steven Membury, a historic environment officer at Somerset County Council, said: "We think the site began about 2,500 BC with ritual use around a spring where the burned stones were found.

"The idea that the stone indicate 'sweat houses' is just one theory.

"We can tell that the huge roundhouse burned down but we think we have one surviving post which we will be able to carbon date.

"Another of the roundhouses dates from around 400-100BC, and we have found Glastonbury ware pottery inside.

"It's the first opportunity we have ever had to look at an Iron Age settlement like this."

This isn’t the only Bronze Age sauna which has been found in Britain however.  Many other sites have been uncovered in the past two decades, with a prime example being a Bronze Age sauna which was discovered in Birmingham in 2004, which has been thought to be dated between 1500 and 1000 BCE. 

Coun Peter Douglas Osborn has said, “"This site proves that Bronze Age Brummies were far more sophisticated than we gave them credit for, you can tell it was a sauna because of all the round stones on the site. They used it for recreation.”

These discoveries are great for creating awareness of the sauna, and its rich history, not only in the Scandinavian countries, but also in Great Britain, which has a deep rooted history in these hot houses.