Conny Waters – AncientPages.com – Scents played a pivotal role in shaping identity, memory culture, and intercultural exchanges during the Iron Age Mediterranean.
Carthage, Rue Ibn Chabâat (Dido Quarter): Levantine-imported oil bottle with a black-painted Phoenician inscription, reportedly including the word myrrh, from House I, Room T1, context K94/1, c. 8th–mid-seventh century BCE (Neg. nos. D-DAI-ROM-NA-RAK-56977, D-DAI-ROM-NA-RAK-59595; courtesy of the German Archaeological Institute in Rome. source
For the first time, researchers from the University of Tübingen and the Complutense University of Madrid analyzed the manufacture, technology, and contents of 51 ceramic oil vessels from the Phoenician settlement of Mozia, an island off the coast of Sicily.
Among the Phoenician ceramics associated with scented substances, a notable group represents the small, undecorated vessels known as “Phoenician oil bottles.”
Dated from the eighth to the sixth centuries BCE, they have unique features. They typically have narrow mouths with thick, outward-sloping rims; short necks that bulge and taper in diameter; a single vertical ring handle attached at the mid-neck and shoulder; globular to ovoid bodies; and bases that are ringed, pointed, or rounded.
The study focused on simple, small ceramic bottles measuring between 15.5 and 18.5 centimeters in height. This kind of ceramics is usually discovered in graves, residential areas, and sacred areas, pottery workshops, and a shipwreck, across the Atlantic and Mediterranean regions.The archaeological evidence confirms their widespread and varied use.
The island of Mozia in western Sicily also yields the largest number of these vessels.
Mozia, Area V: Phoenician oil bottles found in Mozia, Aea V. Dating 750/740–550/530 BCE. Image credit: A. Orsingher
In the quest to uncover the origins of these ancient vessels, the team examined the very essence of the pottery’s composition. Their findings revealed a path back to southern Phoenicia, nestled between modern-day Beirut and the Carmel region—a testament to human ingenuity and craftsmanship. Researchers also analyzed the organic residues preserved within these vessels, unlocking secrets about their original contents and purposes. Among 51 vessels, eight revealed traces of plant lipids, pine resin, and mastic resin—whispering stories of aromatic oils that once filled them.
According to Dr. Silvia Amicone from the Archaeometry Working Group at the University of Tübingen, research has verified that these ceramic vessels were utilized for transporting aromatic oils. These oils played a significant role beyond being mere trade items; they acted as cultural connectors and expressions of identity for Phoenician migrants traveling across the Mediterranean.
The oils served as instruments of memory, preserving the familiar scents of home and reinforcing shared practices and oilfactory experiences among the dispersed communities.
Mozia: View of Area V from the south. Image credit: A. Orsingher
The Iron Age Mediterranean was like the ancient world’s version of a bustling airport, with everyone on the move, trading goods and swapping cultural quirks. Among the star travelers were the Phoenicians – renowned as skilled sailors, traders, and craftsmen – that established settlements far beyond their homeland in the Levant. They set up shops all over the place, and traditionally, they had their love for aromatic substances. One can say, they were basically running an ancient perfume empire, making sure everyone smelled fabulous both at home and abroad.
The study should be continued to make a thorough reevaluation of the experiences of migration, trade, and cultural belonging in ancient times. According to Orsingher, it is essential to reconsider mobility in antiquity beyond just the movement of people and goods. This perspective includes the circulation of smells, memories, and sensory traditions.
Scent is intricately connected to identity and plays a significant role—often underestimated—in migration processes, settlement patterns, and cultural exchanges.
Written by Conny Waters – AncientPages.com Staff Writer