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Ancient DNA Confirms European Sardines as Roman Garum Mainstay

Researchers will extend ancient DNA analysis of fermented fish remains to other Roman production sites

© figure by authors
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Overview

  • Fish remains from a Roman fish‐salting vat at Adro Vello yielded usable DNA despite intense grinding and fermentation
  • Genetic sequencing identified European sardines as the predominant fish used in Roman garum at the northwest Iberian site
  • Comparison of ancient and modern sardine genomes revealed genetic continuity in northwest Iberia over two millennia
  • The study establishes that ancient DNA can survive harsh salting and fermentation processes, offering a reliable method for species identification in fragmented remains
  • The research team plans to apply this archaeogenomic approach across additional Roman‐era salting plants to map regional variations in garum production