A Sarcophagus In The Tomb Of Cerberus Has Been Opened For The First Time In 2,000 Years
Last year, archaeologists discovered an ancient Italian tomb decorated with frescoes of popular myths, including an image of Cerberus, the three-headed dog that guards the Underworld to prevent the dead from leaving.
The find was made during excavations at a site in Giugliano, Italy, near Naples. Researchers called it the “Tomb of Cerberus.”
Now, the researchers have opened one of the sarcophagi in the tomb, using a tiny camera to view its contents.
It is the first time in 2,000 years that humans have laid eyes on the contents inside the sarcophagus. Hopefully, further studies will reveal more details about ancient Roman customs in the region.
The area where the tomb was found is known for its ancient burials. Several of them date back to the Roman Republic and the Roman Imperial Age.
This tomb was an accidental discovery. At first, the archaeologists believed the tomb’s walls were part of the cemetery they were excavating, but then they came across a stone slab that blocked an entrance.
When they looked behind the slab, they saw two sarcophagi and a series of elaborate frescoes. They did not open the sarcophagi right away because they did not want to damage the contents inside.
So far, only one of the coffins has been exposed. The research team put a small camera in one of the sarcophagi to examine the contents without disturbing or damaging them. They saw images of a body lying on its back, wrapped in a shroud.
The conditions inside the tomb allowed the material of the shroud to remain well-preserved. Fabric analysis of the shroud is ongoing to determine the structure, quality, and type of yarn that was used.
Thomas – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only
Aside from the body, there were funerary offerings, such as pottery containing ointments and strigils, which were tools that ancient Romans used to clean away dirt, oil, and sweat from their skin before bathing.
It is believed that the tomb was originally built for the person in the sarcophagus because of how well taken care of the body was, coupled with the items that surround it. The team collected some samples to analyze.
“In recent months…laboratory analyses conducted on samples taken from the inhumations and the depositional beds have returned a considerable amount of data on the treatment of the deceased body and the funerary ritual carried out, significantly enriching the panorama of our knowledge,” stated Superintendent Mariano Nuzzo from the Italian Ministry of Culture.
Tests conducted on the bottles within the tomb revealed evidence of chenopodium, otherwise known as goosefoot and wormwood.
The plant was likely applied as creams to the corpse to prevent it from decomposing after death. The team is currently waiting on the results of the human DNA analysis.
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