Cenker Atila, the lead author of the study and archaeologist from Sivas Cumhuriyet University, said in a statement to CNN; He stated that he noticed some remains while examining the Roman glass bottles known as unguentarium (scent bottle) in the Pergamon Museum for a book he co-authored in 2022. Atila found remains in seven different containers, but the most definitive result was obtained from an artifact dating back to the 2nd century and unearthed in the ancient city of Pergamon.
Atila opened the clay cap of the bottle and took a sample of the brown flakes inside; discovered that the sample contained human feces, high concentrations of thyme and olive oil. “Thanks to our knowledge of ancient texts, we immediately recognized this as a medicinal mixture used by the famous Roman physician Galen,” Atila said.
Physician Galen and Ancient Treatment Methods
Born into a wealthy Greek family in Pergamum, Galen was an anatomy pioneer who served three Roman emperors. The medical texts he wrote continued to influence the medical world for approximately 1,500 years. “Finding the medicine that Galen himself described was a source of great surprise and excitement for us,” Atila added.
According to ancient texts, human and animal feces; It was used in the treatment of many ailments, from inflammation to infections to reproductive disorders. These substances were not necessarily seen as “disgusting” or “irrational” at the time, the researchers noted, but rather were considered powerful and effective medicines with a symbolic and sensory charge in ancient pharmacology.
The Ancestor of Modern Medicine: “Fecal Transplantation”
Atila stated that these findings prove that the practice of “stool transplantation”, which has an important place in today’s modern medicine, was already known in ancient times. Stool transplantation is the process of transferring a stool sample taken from a healthy donor to the patient in order to restore the microbiota balance. This method, with the approval of the US Food and Drug Administration – FDA, is now used in this country to prevent infections affecting the intestines.
Details of the Bottle
It turned out that these glass bottles, normally used to store perfume, were reused as a medicine bottle in this case. The thyme in the mixture was added both for its antibacterial properties and to suppress the smell of feces. “When we opened the bottle, we didn’t smell anything,” Atila said.
Nicholas Purcell, professor of ancient history at Oxford University, said the research was scientifically sound and the results were not surprising. “These types of therapies were already evident in Roman texts, but combining this tradition with archaeological material is very interesting,” Purcell said. He also pointed out the possibility that the glass bottle was found in a grave, and emphasized that this research could better understand that such small containers were used not only for luxury perfumes but also for medical purposes.
