The bronze filter is believed to have been used during the Roman and Byzantine periods to purify beverages before consumption, offering new insights into ancient drinking practices.
Archaeologists at the ancient site of Hadrianopolis in Turkey's Karabük province found a 9.2-centimeter-long conical bronze object believed to be a beverage filter from the fifth century CE.
The excavation team, led by Associate Professor Dr. Ersin Çelikbaş from Karabük University, discovered the bronze filter during their ongoing work at Hadrianopolis, which already unearthed two baths, two churches, a defensive fortress, rock-cut tombs, an inner fortress, an underground rock settlement, a fountain, an arched structure, city walls, a villa, and several cult areas.
Çelikbaş explained that the bronze filter was used to remove impurities and solid residues from beverages, allowing for a more pleasant and refined drinking experience. "This object allowed people to drink their beverages comfortably and healthily, filtering them," said Çelikbaş, according to Enikos.
Experts studying the bronze object suggest that it was designed to filter drinks, with small holes allowing liquids to pass through while trapping unwanted solids, facilitating the filtering process, according to Labrujulaverde.com.
Çelikbaş added, "The filter was placed on the end of straws made of reed, allowing drinks to be consumed more easily. Today, we use plastic straws, but the people of Hadrianopolis did this process in a much healthier way, with herbal materials and bronze filters," said Çelikbaş, according to Hurriyet Daily News.
He further explained that the bronze filter was not a disposable item but was cleaned and reused multiple times. "The existence of the carrying ring suggests that users kept and stored the object for future use," stated Çelikbaş, according to Labrujulaverde.com.
Hadrianopolis, an important center in the Black Sea region, was a settlement with records of occupation dating from the Late Chalcolithic Period to the Early Byzantine Era. It was founded during the reign of Emperor Hadrian II, according to HeritageDaily.
Hadrianopolis has been dubbed the Zeugma of the Black Sea due to its exquisite mosaics depicting animals.
Çelikbaş highlighted that intensive agricultural activities took place in Hadrianopolis in the fifth century CE. "Based on these activities, we know that fruits such as pomegranates, apples, pears, and grapes, as well as grains like barley and wheat, were cultivated in Hadrianopolis," he said, according to Hurriyet Daily News.
The excavation work at Hadrianopolis is part of the Heritage for the Future Project, promoted by Turkey's Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and the site has been designated as a protected area, according to Hurriyet Daily News.
The churches in Hadrianopolis are decorated with ornate mosaics featuring images of the Gihon, Pishon, Tigris, and Euphrates rivers, which are referenced in the Bible.
This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq