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12h ago

Molecular Analysis Reveals 2,500-Year-Old Honey in Ancient Greek Bronze Jars

Advanced molecular analysis detected intact sugars, royal jelly proteins, copper-preserved markers in jar residues, overturning decades of fat-based identifications.

2,500-year-old honey and bronze jar on display at the Ashmolean Museum contained a mysterious substance (shown in the foreground)
Image
Paestum honey: (A) underground shrine in Paestum, Italy; (B) one of the hydrias on display alongside a Perspex box containing the residue at the Ashmolean Museum in 2019; (C) graphic representation of the arrangement of the bronze jars inside the shrine; (D) sample from the core of the residue. Image credit: da Costa Carvalho et al., doi: 10.1021/jacs.5c04888.
Mysterious 2,500-Year-Old 'Gift to The Gods' Finally Identified

Overview

  • A study in the Journal of the American Chemical Society has for the first time provided direct molecular proof that 2,500-year-old residues in Paestum bronze jars are ancient honey.
  • Residue samples contained intact hexose sugars at concentrations exceeding those in modern beeswax, alongside major royal jelly proteins that confirm a bee-derived origin.
  • High acidity levels and decomposition products matched expected chemical changes from long-term honey storage and aging.
  • Copper ions from the bronze vessels bound with sugar degradation products and inhibited bacterial growth, enabling extraordinary molecular preservation.
  • Researchers say these techniques significantly expand the analytical toolkit for investigating chemically complex archaeological residues in museum collections.