Archive · 31 Jan 2026
Ancient Romans Used Human Faeces as Medicine
Scientists in Turkey found a very old bottle from Roman times.
Inside, they discovered a mix of human poop and thyme.
This bottle is about 1,900 years old and was used as medicine.
The scientists used special tools to study the bottle's contents.
They found that the mixture matched what an old Roman doctor named Galen had written about.
This shows that people back then really used poop mixed with herbs to treat sicknesses like infections and other problems.
It's surprising because we usually think of poop as dirty, but back then, it was thought to have healing powers.
A 1,900-year-old Roman vial found in western Turkey contained human faeces mixed with thyme.
The vial, called an anguenterium, was discovered in a storage room at the Bergama Museum.
Analysis using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry revealed biomarkers indicating human faeces and the aromatic compound carvacrol.
The mixture closely resembled medicinal formulations described by the ancient Roman physician Galen.
Such treatments were used for various ailments, including infections, inflammation, and reproductive problems.
- Who
- Turkish researchers led by archaeologist Senker Atila
- What
- Discovered a 1,900-year-old Roman vial containing human faeces mixed with thyme
- When
- The vial is 1,900 years old, and the study was published in the Journal of Archaeological Science
- Where
- The vial was found in western Turkey, specifically in the ancient city of Pergamon
- Why
- To provide the first direct chemical evidence of the medicinal use of faeces in Greco-Roman antiquity
- Discovery Location
- Western Turkey
- Age of Vial
- 1,900 years old
- Type of Vial
- Anguenterium (small glass bottle)
- Discovery Site
- Ancient city of Pergamon
- Analysis Method
- Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry
- Contents
- Human faeces mixed with thyme
- Aromatic Compound Found
- Carvacrol
- Ancient Physician Mentioned
- Galen