The London Museum has received a donation of more than 14,000 Roman artifacts from the site of a 3rd century CE temple. The trove was unearthed between 2012–14, during the construction of Bloomberg’s European headquarters in London.
The temple from which the artifacts came was dedicated to the Roman god Mithras. The cult was mysterious and complex, with a number of internal levels, and became known for bull sacrifice. Roman mithraeums are comprised of a long rectangular room lined with stone benches along the walls. Worshippers of the god would have used the space for initiation rituals and communal meals.
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Among the number of notable artifacts is the largest collection of 405 wooden Roman tablets, with the first recorded reference to the city. Archaeologists also found clothing, jewelry, pottery, furniture, and fragments of buildings that were part of London’s early foundations.
“These remarkable artifacts offer a unique window into the past, connecting us directly to the voices of its ancient inhabitants,” Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg LP and Bloomberg Philanthropies and former New York City mayor, told the BBC.
As part of this donation, Bloomberg Philanthropies also gifted £20 million ($26 million) to support the renovation of the historic Smithfield market buildings in central London, which is being converted into a new museum space.
The monetary donation marks the museum’s largest private contribution to date. The new location is lated to open in 2026 and is expected to draw more than two million visitors each year.
“Bloomberg has been a huge cultural champion for London, and this is a great example of public and private sectors working together to help realise bold plans for our capital’s future,” the mayor of London Sadiq Khan told the Independent. “The London Museum will be a significant addition to our capital, transforming the Smithfield area and using the power of culture to drive economic improvement, as we build a better London for everyone.”
Director of the London Museum Sharon Ament described the “lasting legacy” this will have on the city “from setting high standards in sustainability, to creating new apprenticeships for young people; moving the dial on digital opportunities to involving a record number of Londoners in the making of the museum.”