Name: Healing poop: Evidence shows feces used in ancient Roman medicine
Uploaded: 2026-03-13T17:07:48.000Z
Duration: 1 min 49 s
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Archaeologists in Turkey have found evidence that ancient Roman medicine involved an unusual ingredient, human poop.

Traces of it were found in this 1900 year old glass vial used to hold perfumes or elixirs.

And the researchers believe it's the first chemical evidence to show the Romans used feces medicinally.

Previously, the practice of applying excrement to the skin to fight infections and inflammation was only known from ancient Roman texts.

Janka Tila is an archaeologist who specializes in ancient perfumes.

He was among those who worked to identify the contents of hundreds of vials held in Bergama Museum that's close to the ruins of the ancient city of Pergamon in Turkey's western province of Izmir.

We were surprised, amused and delighted because, you see, we found a medicine that has survived from ancient times to present day.

Plus, the fact that it comes from human excrement is really something else entirely.

The funny side is that we found excrement while expecting perfume.

We were scientifically delighted, amused and surprised.

Pharmacologist Ilker Demi Bola found more than just excrement in the substance.

He said Roman physicians had described how the medicine could cause revulsion and recommended mixing it with something that smelled nice.

And indeed, we found trace amounts of thyme oil in this human fecal residue.

He said, in fact, it's the same time we refer to as Anatolian time.

The bottle was recovered from looters, so experts can't be sure where it was excavated.

However, Pergamon was home to a renowned hospital and to the ancient physician Galen, who documented the use of excrement in medicine.

The bottle's design also suggests it comes from the area.

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Healing poop: Evidence shows feces used in ancient Roman medicine

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