Well-preserved centuries-old drainage system found at Tartu construction site

At a 10,500-square-meter archaeological site in what is now Tartu's Central Park, experts are uncovering historical finds almost daily as they prepare the ground for the planned Siuru cultural center.

The largest discovery so far is a system of drainage channels and wells. Keiti Randoja, head of the excavation, said such a well-built system is not found every day, and the unusually large area being investigated has already allowed the team to expose more than 20 meters of one longer channel section, including its drainage wells.

The wooden channels were originally built to carry away wastewater and rainwater. They date from the 18th or 19th century and mark the site of a former suburb that likely included a courtyard.

Randoja explained that organic material typically decomposes in soil, but the low-oxygen conditions at this site have helped preserve the wood unusually well. Where logs are well preserved, researchers can cut sample discs from them to determine, sometimes down to the exact year, when the trees were felled and the channels likely built.

The channels will not stay in place much longer. Tartu City Museum will decide their fate. Siuru director Aavo Kokk said the museum has previously taken select wooden items, such as a barrel that was dismantled so it could later be reassembled on display, and will decide whether it already holds enough examples of this kind. Regardless, the channels will be photographed and measured before the museum determines where they ultimately go.

The excavation area will soon expand, including toward the Emajõgi River, where archaeologists suspect the drainage system continues. An ancient boat would be a welcome bonus find as work moves closer to the river. Excavations at the Siuru site are expected to continue until the end of next year.