Rebelo et al. / Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports
Objects found at a cremation associated with a likely doctor or surgeon
The analysis of plant remains collected in the Roman necropolis of Calçada do Lavra reveals a community that followed the Roman ritual of cremation, but also chose wood, fruits and aromatic plants for their symbolic, sensorial and local value.
An archaeobotanical study carried out between 2017 and 2018 in the Roman necropolis of Calçada do Lavrain Lisbon, identified myrtle fruits in cremation contexts — a discovery that the authors describe as the first evidence of its kind in the geographic and chronological framework of the Roman Empire.
The was conducted by a multidisciplinary team of researchers led by Catarina Sousafrom CIBIO, Research Center for Biodiversity and Genetic Resources at the University of Porto, and will be published in the September edition of Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports,
In their speech, which was detailed this week by , the team analyzed plant remains collected following archaeological work carried out at Calçada do Lavra. uncovered a core of northwest necropole of OlisipoRoman name for ancient Lisbon.
In an area of just over 300 m², around 50 funeral structuresmost associated with cremation, a dominant practice in the Roman world between the 2nd century BC and the 2nd century AD, known as Roman customer“or Roman way.”
In total, the researchers analyzed 35 cremation contexts, dating between the end of the 1st century and the end of the 4th century AD.
The team distinguished two types of structures: bustaplaces where the pyre was set up and the body incinerated, with accumulations of charcoal and calcined bones on site; e secondary contextsin which cremation remains were deposited next to the funeral urn and offerings, after incineration took place in a the oystera community space dedicated to this purpose.
These secondary contexts were the most abundant.
To recover the botanical remains, scientists collected 93 sediment samples, in a total volume of 718 liters, which were processed by flotation.
An anthracological analysis identified 7663 fragments of burned wood. THE dominant species was maritime pinewith 31.3% of the total, present in 30 of the 35 contexts analyzed.
Followed by fig treewith 11.2%, and the oliveirawith 10.7%. They were also identified ash, holm oak, strawberry tree, vine and laurelamong other species.
According to researchers, the predominance of maritime pine is not surprising: it was a species available in the region, although pollen data indicate that the pine, oak and alder forests suffered heavy deforestation in the first centuries of the Christian era.
Furthermore, pine wood is very flammablethe logs are easy to stack and the resin releases an intense aroma, which could help mitigate cremation odors.
I and presence of olive and fig trees raises other questions. Both species had economic and symbolic value in the Roman world: the olive tree was associated with chastity, virtue, hope and eternal peace; the fig tree, to longevity, immortality and wealth.
The authors admit that part of this wood may have come from waste from arboriculturesuch as pruning fruit trees.
One of the most relevant findings was the presence of beech in six funerary structures, albeit in a reduced proportion.
As beech would not be a locally available species in the Lisbon region, the authors suggest that it did not arrive at the necropolis as common firewood, but as part of objects, furniture or instruments burned on the pyre.
This hypothesis is reinforced by two contexts of greater status: a cremation associated with a likely doctor or surgeonwith bronze objects, writing instruments, a ring, a gold earring and plates used to prepare medicines; and another with 32 glass game pieces and two bone dice.
In addition to the coals, they were recovered 1214 remains of seeds and fruits. Among the remains identified were figs, grapes and myrtle berries.
The authors emphasize that this is the first evidence of fruit of Common myrtle in a cremation context within the geographical and chronological framework of the Roman Empire. Myrtle berries appeared in five contexts, including an entire copy.
A Myrtle was an aromatic plant valued in ancient times. In the Greco-Roman world, she was consecrated to Aphrodite, or Venus, and symbolized love, fertility and immortality. Their presence in funerary contexts in Roman Lisbon reinforces the idea that plants were not chosen only for their usefulness as fuel, but also for its symbolic and sensorial value.
The study also found traces of cereals, legumes and wild plantssome possibly linked to the Silicerniumritual banquet held by the family next to the pyre, during which part of the food was offered to the dead.
The authors conclude that the selection of wood responded to criteria of availability, combustion and cultural significance. In Olisipo, the maritime pine seems to have bringing together these three dimensions: it was accessible, burned well and could have religious connotations associated with the passage between life and death.
Thus, the study authors conclude, wood was not just fuel: it had symbolic meaning and a central role in the cremation ritual; and fruits weren’t just food, they were a bridge between this world and the beyond.
