Conny Waters –<\/strong> AncientPages.com – <\/strong>Scents played a pivotal role in shaping identity, memory culture, and intercultural exchanges during the Iron Age Mediterranean.<\/p>\n Carthage, Rue Ibn Chab\u00e2at (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\u2013mid-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<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n For the first time, researchers from the University of T\u00fcbingen 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.<\/p>\n Among the Phoenician ceramics associated with scented substances, a notable group represents the small, undecorated vessels known as “Phoenician oil bottles.”<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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\u00a0 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.<\/p>\n The island of Mozia in western Sicily also yields the largest number of these vessels.<\/p>\n 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\u2014a 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\u2014whispering stories of aromatic oils that once filled them.<\/p>\n According to Dr. Silvia Amicone from the Archaeometry Working Group at the University of T\u00fcbingen, 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.<\/p>\n The oils served as instruments of memory, preserving the familiar scents of home and reinforcing shared practices and oilfactory experiences among the dispersed communities.<\/p>\n![\"Phoenician](\"https:\/\/www.ancientpages.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/phoenicianoilau27.jpg\")
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Mozia, Area V: Phoenician oil bottles found in Mozia, Aea V. Dating 750\/740\u2013550\/530 BCE. Image credit: A. Orsingher<\/em><\/p>\n