Evidence of Everyday Life of Riga Residents 500 Years Ago Found at Dome Square

Archaeologists working on Dome Square in the historic centre of Riga, the Old Town, have come across a previously untouched cultural layer. The discovery was made during repairs of heating pipelines, and the layer contains evidence of the everyday life of Riga residents some five hundred years ago.

The pipelines being repaired were laid more than half a century ago. The renovation work has made it possible to reach layers that have remained undisturbed since then.

Obstacles for builders

In the historic centre of the city, any earthworks are a challenge both for builders and for the project's deadlines. Unexpected obstacles can be created by old clay jugs as well as by modern gas pipelines that were not marked on earlier plans. As a result, work in Old Riga may take longer than planned.

The finds on Dome Square show that traces of the city's past have survived beneath modern utilities, giving archaeologists a chance to learn about the daily life of Riga's residents centuries ago.