In Paestum, southern Italy, sticky residue found inside bronze vessels has been confirmed as honey, overturning earlier analysis. Discovered in 1954 in a heroon near the Temple of Athena, the shrine dates to around 520 B.C. and contained eight bronze vessels, including hydrae and amphorae. Initially misidentified as animal or vegetable fats, the honey offering symbolizes immortality in Greek mythology. The new analysis aligns with initial hypotheses suggesting its significance in the context of rituals related to a deity or the city's founder.
The analysis of sticky residue within bronze vessels in Paestum revealed the substance to be honey, contrary to previous studies that excluded it as a possibility.
Archaeological findings in Paestum, previously thought to contain animal and vegetable fats, were confirmed to hold honey, which was associated with immortality in Greek culture.
After decades of analysis since the 1954 discovery, the confirmation of honey aligns with early hypotheses about the offering in the shrine dedicated to a deity.
The shrine from 520 B.C. housed eight bronze vessels, arranged around an iron bed, pointing to rituals linked to the city's founder and ancient Greek beliefs.
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