Pollen content of a Roman medical remedy (Pozzino, Italy, II C. BC)

In 1989, numerous tin pyxies were found on the seabed of the Gulf of Baratti (Leghorn, Italy), in front of the Pozzino cove. The pyxies were at the depth of 18 meters, near the remains of a small hull dated to the II century BC. They were close to other objects, which presumably were part of the professional equipment belonging to a physician travelling on the ship. One of the pyxies, which was hermetically sealed by the oxidation products of tin, contained six tablets, which presumably were a medical remedy. Chemical analysis revealed that inorganic components – mainly based on zinc hydroxy carbonate – constituted more than 80% of this tablet. The organic components were animal and plant lipids, beeswax, starch and resin. Pollen grains were present in large amounts. Most of the pollen grains belongs to Olea, but the long list of morphotypes suggests a multisource origin of the grains, in agreement with the presence of the above-mentioned ingredients. Many grains belong to plants that produce showy flowers commonly preferred by bees,confirming the identification of a bee-product as an ingredient of the tablet. As a whole, the plants listed in the pollen spectrum hint to the Eastern or North-Eastern Mediterranean basin as the area of origin of the medical remedy, in agreement with the archaeological hypothesis that the ship had been coming from the Greek coasts or islands, as indicated by the objects which constituted most of the cargo.