Overview
- The peer-reviewed study, published Monday in Antiquity, analyzed ash from two censers excavated at Pompeii and nearby Boscoreale.
- Researchers detected markers of a grape product consistent with wine or vinegar, supporting texts that describe the praefatio, a rite of burning wine with incense.
- Chemical and microscopic profiles point to an imported resin from the Burseraceae family, likely elemi from India or sub‑Saharan Africa, which signals long‑distance supply lines.
- The team also identified charred oak, laurel and mulberry, using microscopy, spectroscopy, phytoliths and organic acid analysis to reconstruct the scents of household worship.
- Authors caution that missing sediment controls and long post‑excavation histories could mean some compounds are intrusive, so tighter chain‑of‑custody and contextual sampling are needed next.