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Please assume the following:

There is a item on the ground and I want nothing but bare earth touching it.

• I cannot move the item myself.


• The item is impervious to fire.


• I cannot afford to guard the place 24/7.


• But I can come back from time to time (maybe even daily) to check.


• EDIT: Dimensions: The item is a pole about 1.5m high and roughly 20 cm radius (at the base), standing upright.

How can I, with common (or not so common) items from the Roman age deter any and all creatures from touching the item?

My few ideas:

• Burn all grass / scrubs in a certain radius around the location.


• Salt the ground around the item to prevent rodents, insects, snails and so forth from traveling into the area.

Do you have better ideas or maybe additions, to this procedure?

Problems:

• Is there any way to deal with birds? (Scarecrows don't work all the time right?)


• The ground directly under the item is sealed. but what about rodents/insect burrowing their way into the area from the bottom?

I am ready for some handwaving, but I like to keep it to a minimum with the help of this great community!

EDIT: While I can use supplies from the surrounding region and I have the support of the populace, they are not in my workforce. So everything I build would have to be a 1-2 person job.

You don't mention whether or not your character needs near-term access to the item, I therefore give you...

Roman Concrete

The formula for which we still haven't discovered and don't fully understand — especially since modern concrete doesn't last anywhere near as long as Roman concrete has.

Build a form, pour the concrete over the item, fill it up like you're trying to hide Jimmy Hoffa. Nobody gets in or out. Not a bird in the sky, not a rat on the ground, nary a worm or a fly or even bacteria not previously present on the item.

If you don't want the concrete touching it, pour it like a dome over the top.

Boom.

Oh, rats. I just noticed you want this to be a minimal-person job. My answer requires a small team of people. Sorry.

Edit: After the addition of the item size in the question, the problem is now one that a single individual could solve in a half day or so, so long as the technical expertise and raw materials were both available to the individual.

Romans were already able to build walls and roofs. Those will cover the sides and the upper part of the thing. No need for windows, of course.

For the ground, spread generous dosages of natron, already available to Egyptians.

Historical natron was harvested directly as a salt mixture from dry lake beds in ancient Egypt, and has been used for thousands of years as a cleaning product for both the home and body. Blended with oil, it was an early form of soap. It softens water while removing oil and grease. Undiluted, natron was a cleanser for the teeth and an early mouthwash. The mineral was mixed into early antiseptics for wounds and minor cuts. Natron can be used to dry and preserve fish and meat. It was also an ancient household insecticide, and was used for making leather as well as a bleach for clothing.

The mineral was used during mummification ceremonies in ancient Egypt because it absorbs water and behaves as a drying agent. Moreover, when exposed to moisture, the carbonate in natron increases pH (raises alkalinity), which creates a hostile environment for bacteria.

Nothing would deter all animals from entering an area. Your only option is to have an area that can't be entered. Metal boxes are well within Roman tech.

Safes have been used for a long time to stop anything from touching valuables, we still use them today.