A team of Polish researchers claims that officers were crazy about their furry companions. They especially adored monkeys, particularly Indian macaques, treating them like children and even gifting them pets. These “gifts” were later buried alongside the monkeys, with no expense spared on lavish burial items.
What Did the Scientists Discover?
Bioarchaeologists from the University of Wrocław and the University of Warsaw uncovered the remains of thirty Asian primates at a pet cemetery in the port of Berenice, located on the Red Sea coast. All these remains date back to the 1st and 2nd centuries AD, a time when the port was inhabited by Roman elites. Most of the skeletons were found alongside artifacts linked to military officers.
Previously, researchers had stumbled upon a few monkey remains in other Roman territories. Among them was the skeleton of an animal that perished in during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. However, earlier samples belonged to North African Barbary macaques brought from the Roman Empire.
Meanwhile, the from the Berenice cemetery were identified as rhesus macaques, Indian macaques, and grivet monkeys. They originated either from Southern India or the Indus Valley in Northern India. This indicates that these were among the first domesticated animals to appear in the and had to be imported from outside its borders.
After analyzing the burials, the scientists concluded that the animals were held in high regard by their military owners. For instance, the team discovered a monkey skeleton dated to the early 1st century AD, buried alongside the remains of a piglet, a pair of large seashells, a woven basket, and “an unusually folded piece of fabric resembling a doll.”
According to the researchers, “the pig, shells, doll, and basket with its contents undoubtedly belonged to a young macaque.” Another monkey was buried with a puppy and a kitten, as reported by IFLScience.
The study’s authors suggested that the items found in these burials were likely the most treasured possessions of the monkey during its life. Perhaps they were placed in the tomb to assist the animal in its transition to the afterlife. The scientists believe that such special treatment can be explained by some of Pliny the Elder’s assertions, which stated that Romans regarded primates as “half-humans.”
However, despite the Romans’ fascination with domesticated animals, exotic pets often suffered from malnutrition. Nevertheless, for military leaders, having a monkey was a clear marker of elite status in local society.
In the port of Berenice, the Asian primate was the ultimate status symbol. As the researchers put it, a soldier “with an Indian macaque on a leash basked in the glow of glory, recognized as an explorer of exotic lands, a person of exceptional experience and connections.”
The findings of the study were published in the Journal of Roman Archaeology.
Photo: Unsplash
