Archaeologists Discovered the Remains of 30 Ancient Longhouses From an Unusual German Settlement

Here’s what you’ll learn when you read this story:An excavation in Westphalia, Germany, uncovered 30 Roman-era longhouses likely built along a popular trade route. An archaeological excavation uncovered a 30 large longhouses tightly packed together, creating an “unusually large Germanic settlement” that operated from the second to the fifth century C.E. The longhouses, some measuring 26 feet wide and almost 100 feet long, are surrounded by outbuildings and small, sunken-floored huts. Eva Manz, excavation director, said a small Roman coin from the second century helped with initial dating. The settlement likely used the quality soil to their economic advantage, growing surplus food and selling it to passing traders.