70-Year-Old Archaeological Mystery: Honey in Ancient Italian Jars Solved
A 70-year-old archaeological mystery has been solved by a team led by the University of Cambridge. The sticky substance found in ancient bronze jars in southern Italy has been identified as honey.
The jars, discovered in a Greek-era subterranean shrine in Paestum in 1954, partially filled eight bronze bowls. The shrine, built around the 6th century BCE, was later repurposed for Roman rituals. The transformation of the honey over time, due to oxygen and microbial activity, left behind a sticky, acidic residue that puzzled scientists for decades.
Modern chemical tests, including mass spectrometry and infrared spectroscopy, allowed chemists from the University of Oxford to identify key markers consistent with glucose, fructose, and royal jelly in the residue. This breakthrough led to the conclusion that the jars once held raw honey or honeycomb. In ancient Greek culture, honey held significant symbolic and practical value, being used in medicine, cosmetics, rituals, and sacrifices. Ceremonial objects found in the shrine, such as a wooden table and iron rods wrapped in wool, suggest the jars were used for ritual offerings, not domestic storage.
The discovery solves a longstanding archaeological puzzle and provides valuable insights into the ritual and everyday uses of honey in classical antiquity. It demonstrates the enduring significance of honey in ancient civilizations and the power of modern scientific techniques to unlock the secrets of the past.
