Bath, the temple of Aquae Sulis ● Unlike all other Romano-British towns,bath existed solely as a spa and,except for London was the most cosmopolitan town in the country from the termal spring flowed the sacred water of the Celtic spirit Sulis, whom the romans identified with Minerva, the goddess of healing. They built a temple to Sulis Minerva and channelled the water into a huge leadlines bath. ● A magnificent head of Medusa was sculpted in the likeness of a barbarian celt. The temple became the centre of a cult to Minerva. Both the temple and the baths were visited by people from all over Europe, particulary those seeking cures.

Great bath ● This magnificent centrepiece of the Roman baths is a pool, lined with 45 sheets of lead and filled with spa water. The bath is 1,6 metres deep and has steps leading down on all sides.

Temple ● This model is a reconstitution of the site such as it was in the past. ● The temple Bath was the place where the cult statue of the goddess Sulis Minerva was housed.

South part ● On this photo we can see the South part where all the baths were.

Gorgon's head ● It carries the image of a fearsome head carved in Bath stone and it's thought to be the Gorgon's head, which was a powerful symbol of the goddess Sulis Minerva.

Minerva's head ● This is a head of Minerva. The statue was made of bronze and covered in gold leaf. She was the goddess of healing and war.

The spring overflow ● The Roman plumbing and drainage system is strill largely in place and showse the ingenuity of the Roman engineers. ● Lead pipes were used to carry hot spa water around the site using gravity flow. ● The spring overflow is where surplus water from the Spring, not used in the baths, flows out to a Roman drain.

Aquae Sulis map ● This is Aquae Sulis temple. We can see all the rooms that compose it.

Changing rooms and saunas ● In these east baths you will find a sequence of heated rooms, swimming pool and a display on Roman bathing through out the Empire.

Frigidarium (or cold room) ● Here are bassins full off water and small cold pools if you dare to jump in them!

Frigidarium's coins ● Look at this coins: you can see them through the water.

Tepidarium (or warm room) ● Here is warm water in the pools and so adults sit in them and relax. You might rub yourself with olive oil in this room.

Caldarium (or hot room) ● This is very hot! It's heated by the hypocaust (that underfloor heating) and the floor is so hot you have to wear wooden shoes or jump about a lot! This is where you sweat a lot.

Mosaics ● These beautiful mosaics re-covered the floor around the baths.

The Altar ● The Altar was before near the temple. Sacrifices were made by killing animals. It was important for the Romans because they thought that the gods would be favourable to them after sacrifices. But the Altar is now very damaged, and the empty parties are replaced by some concrete to give good idea of the size of the intact Altar.

MYsterious gemstones ● This small gemstones were lost in the baths by Roman People.

Gemstone : a man ● We can see on this photo a very small gemstone which was on a ring. Engraved were very finely men, animals or gods on it. On this one, we can see a man.

Gemstone : an owl ● On this gemstone, we can see an owl, the emblem of Sulis Minerva.

Objects from the spring ● Many objects were thrown into the sacred spring as offerings to the goddess, including more than 2,000 Roman coins which is the largest votive deposit known from Britain.

Jewels ● These small wooden objects or in terra-cotta were in fact jewels which the Roman carried around the neck.

For hair ● These small objects in horn were combs and spades. The Romans did hair with them.

Jars ● These objects in terra- cotta were jars where food and wine were stocked.

Created by : Léa and Constance