Human waste in Roman medicine? First physical evidence found in ancient vessel causes 'immense excitement'

Researchers precocious unveiled impervious that Romans utilized a astonishing constituent successful their aesculapian treatments — and it's acold from sanitary.

The probe focuses connected a vas that was unearthed successful Pergamon, primitively a Greek metropolis that was conquered by the Romans successful 133 B.C. The tract is present located successful İzmir Province, successful occidental Turkey.

While the vas appeared ordinary, it was aboriginal recovered to person served a aesculapian purpose. Researchers identified "dark brownish flakes" successful the residue — which were determined to beryllium fecal matter.

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In a survey published successful the April 2026 variation of the Journal of Archaeological Sciences, researchers argued that the residue is the archetypal "direct chemic grounds for the medicinal usage of fecal substance successful Greco-Roman antiquity."

It's not precisely a astonishment that fecal substance was utilized successful past Roman medicine, said Cenker Atila, an archaeology prof astatine Sivas Cumhuriyet University successful Turkey and co-author of the study.

Researchers accidental residue recovered successful an past Roman-era vessel, seen left, provides the archetypal chemic impervious of medicinal fecal use. Ruined columns successful Pergamon are shown connected the right. (Cenker Atila; LTL/Heritage Images via Getty Images)

The signifier was "already known from past sources," the adept told Fox News Digital.

Yet "despite these references, determination had agelong been statement astir whether specified treatments were really utilized successful practice. By discovering this substance successful [famous physician] Galen’s ain metropolis — and identifying the precise remedy helium described — we were capable to enactment an extremity to those doubts."

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Atila recovered the vessels successful the retention of the Bergama Museum successful Bergama, Turkey, portion doing probe connected a abstracted project.

After noticing that immoderate of the glasses contained residues, helium went backmost with his colleagues to cod the material.

"This find represents the archetypal archaeological grounds of a medicine that we cognize was utilized during the Roman period."

"While moving connected the Pergamon Museum glassware project, we expected we mightiness uncover an past cosmetic oregon medicinal substance," said Atila.

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"However, uncovering the precise remedy described by Galen himself was some a large astonishment and a root of immense excitement."

Physician Galen is shown astatine left. "Finding the precise remedy described by Galen himself was some a large astonishment and a root of immense excitement for us," said the researchers.  (Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images; Cenker Atila)

The residue was recovered successful a vas called a unguentarium, typically utilized to incorporate perfumes — but Atila said that it appears to person been repurposed arsenic a medicine bottle.

He worked with his colleagues — chemist İlker Demirbolat and aesculapian historiographer Rana Babaç Çelebi — to analyse the contents further. 

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The residue contained quality feces mixed with thyme and olive oil.

"Because we are good acquainted with past textual sources, we instantly recognized this arsenic a medicinal mentation utilized by the celebrated doc Galen," the archaeologist said.

The residue was recovered successful a Roman-era solid vas known arsenic an unguentarium, typically utilized for perfumes but repurposed for medicine. (Cenker Atila)

"We truthful proceeded to people our findings without delay."

The thyme was utilized to disguise the odor of quality waste, arsenic good arsenic for its antibacterial properties, Atila said.

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And for those wondering whether it inactive smells contiguous — Atila said it doesn’t.

"When we opened the bottle, we did not brushwood immoderate noticeable smell," helium said. 

The vas was recovered successful Pergamon, a metropolis historically associated with Galen's aesculapian work. (Leemage/Corbis via Getty Images)

"This find represents the archetypal archaeological grounds of a medicine that we cognize was utilized during the Roman period."

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He besides said that the probe proves that each archaeological finds — adjacent seemingly mean ones — "should beryllium examined with large care, arsenic immoderate entity whitethorn incorporate worldly of important technological importance."