Unveiling Ancient Secrets: A Roman Medical Practice Redefined
A sealed glass vessel, dating back to the second century CE, has revealed a Roman medical practice that few believed was real. But here's where it gets controversial...
Researchers have discovered a rare archaeological find that challenges our understanding of ancient medicine. Inside a Roman glass unguentarium, commonly known as a candlestick unguentarium, they found human fecal biomarkers mixed with thyme and olive oil. This discovery provides physical evidence of a practice previously known only from written sources, raising questions about the role of feces in ancient Roman medicine.
The vessel, housed at the Bergama Archaeology Museum, was examined by archaeologist Cenker Atila, who noticed unusual residue preserved inside several vessels. Ancient authors like Galen, Pliny the Elder, and Dioscorides wrote about dung-based remedies, but no physical evidence had confirmed that such treatments were actually prepared and stored. This new analysis changes that.
Chemical Proof inside a Roman Unguentarium
The study, published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, analyzed a sample scraped from the neck and base of artifact number 4027, yielding 14.6 grams of dark brownish flakes and coarse material. Using gas chromatography techniques (GC–MS/FID), the team detected coprostanol and 24-ethylcoprostanol, recognized biomarkers of fecal matter. The ratio of these molecules supported a human origin, and trace amounts of carvacrol, a compound found in thyme oil, were also identified.
The study highlights that "human fecal biomarkers were confirmed for the first time" in such a vessel. The analysis was conducted under stringent contamination controls, strengthening the reliability of the findings.
Linking Archaeology to Galen’s Medical Texts
Pergamon, the city where the vessel was excavated, is historically associated with Galen, the influential physician who lived from 129 to 216 CE. According to CNN, lead author Cenker Atila explained that the team immediately recognized the preparation described in classical sources once the chemical results were obtained.
"Because we are well acquainted with ancient textual sources, we immediately recognized this as a medicinal preparation used by the famous Roman physician Galen," Atila told CNN. Ancient texts describe dung-based remedies as treatments for inflammation, infections, and reproductive disorders. The Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports notes that such substances occupied a "liminal space in ancient pharmacology," regarded as potent yet symbolically charged. The new chemical evidence provides material confirmation of these written accounts.
Thyme, Scent and the Blurred Line between Cosmetics and Medicine
The unguentarium type was typically used for perfumes, but the findings suggest broader functions. According to the study published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, the presence of carvacrol indicates a thyme-based mixture likely intended to mask odor while also offering antibacterial properties. Atila told Fox News Digital that the thyme was used both "to mask the smell" and for its antibacterial qualities. When the bottle was opened, he added, "we did not encounter any noticeable smell."
The study argues that ancient unguentaria may have contained complex medicinal mixtures rather than simple cosmetics. It also notes that cosmetic and therapeutic uses frequently overlapped in antiquity, reflecting a medical system in which scent, ritual, and treatment were closely intertwined. By combining residue analysis with historical research, the team has provided the first direct archaeological confirmation that human feces were deliberately prepared and stored as medicine in the Roman world.
Controversy & Comment Hooks
This discovery raises questions about the role of feces in ancient Roman medicine and the blurred line between cosmetics and medicine. It also invites discussion about the reliability of ancient texts and the importance of archaeological evidence in challenging our understanding of the past. What do you think? Do you agree or disagree with the findings? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
