Ancient Sweetness Preserved: 2,500-Year-Old Honey Discovered Still Edible in Greek Jars Unearthed in Italy
So, here’s a sticky little mystery that’s been buzzing around since 1954: deep beneath the ruins of an ancient Greek shrine in southern Italy’s Paestum, archaeologists stumbled upon bronze jars packed with a gooey, orange-brown substance. What was it? For decades, nobody could pin it down—was it some weird animal fat, or maybe spoiled nectar? Nope. Fast forward 70+ years and thanks to some fancy new scientific wizardry, we now know this ancient resin is none other than honey. Yup, good ol’ bee magic preserved for 2,500 years, tucked away as an offering to gods or perhaps a sweet gift for the departed. If you ever wondered what immortality tastes like… maybe it’s a drizzle of this golden delight from the past. Curious to see how the ancient Greeks sweetened their rituals? Dive in and get the full scoop! LEARN MORE
Archaeologists discovered the jars inside an underground shrine found at the ancient ruins of Paestum in southern Italy.
Journal of the American Chemical Society 2025One of the bronze Greek jars discovered at Paestum, pictured alongside the substance that was found inside of it, now known to be honey.
In 1954, archaeologists working in southern Italy uncovered a number of bronze jars left at an ancient Greek shrine. The jars were filled with a sticky orange substance, though researchers were initially unable to identify what it was. But now, more than 70 years later, scientists have determined that the substance in the jars was honey.
An important substance in antiquity, honey was often used as an offering to the gods or left to honor the dead. In the sixth century B.C.E., someone seems to have left jars full of honey at this Greek shrine, which has now given researchers a unique look at ritual practices in the ancient world.
Post Comment