Archaeologists Find Roman Centurions’ Letters in Ancient Animal Cemetery

Archaeologists have found a collection of ancient letters written on papyrus seemingly featuring correspondence between Roman military commanders in an “extremely rare” discovery.

The documents were uncovered by a team of Polish researchers alongside other remains—such as Roman coins and ceramics—at the site of an ancient animal cemetery, website Science in Poland reported.

The cemetery, which contains the remains of hundreds of animals, is located on the western outskirts of Berenike, an ancient port located on the Red Sea coast of Egypt.

The settlement was founded in the 3rd century B.C. by the ancient Greek Ptolemaic dynasty that ruled Egypt at the time. This kingdom lasted until 30 B.C. when the region, including Berenike, came under Roman control.

The writing on the papyrus—a paper-like material used in ancient times—may prove to be an important source of information for researchers.

“Any newly discovered texts are invaluable to science. We can learn directly from them about the daily lives of people thousands of years ago,” Marta Osypińska of the Institute of Archaeology at the University of Wrocław, Poland, who led the latest research, told Newsweek.

“They provide knowledge that we can’t find on monuments: names, occupations, what issues preoccupied them, what was important to ‘ordinary people,'” she said. “The discovery of new texts is therefore always an important event for scholars.”

Prior to the latest discoveries, no ancient papyri had been found at the animal cemetery site, which appears to have been in use between the 1st and 2nd centuries, although archaeologists had previously found numerous ostracons—fragments of pottery featuring inscriptions.

“For Egyptologists and other scientists dealing with antiquity, this is an extremely rare and high-caliber discovery,” Osypińska told Science in Poland.

The papyri are still being carefully read and examined by specialists but preliminary evidence indicates that they most likely represent letters exchanged between Roman centurions, who were commanding officers in the army.

“They were the ones who looked after the interests of the Roman Empire in remote outposts like Berenike,” Osypińska told Newsweek. “We know that in one of the letters there are questions about the prices of various goods. Berenike [was] an intercontinental port, connecting India, East Africa, Egypt, Arabia. The treasures of the whole world of that time flowed through it.”

Archaeologists believe the letters likely came from a centurion’s office or residence that must have been located near the animal cemetery.

Initially, researchers only identified fragments of papyrus. But later the team was able to piece together the fragments, enabling them to be studied.

When Berenike was founded by Ptolemy II Philadelphus, it primarily served as a military fort, with the port playing a less important role. But both the fort and port appear to have already been in decline after only 100 years or so, according to Osypińska. This was most likely a consequence of desertification and the cutting down of all the trees in the area to make way for construction projects.

Under the Romans the settlement was revived as an major port.

“We don’t know what the Romans found there after the annexation of Egypt, but probably not much except an excellent lagoon, which was perfect for a harbor,” Osypińska said.

The Romans subsequently expanded Berenike and developed an “intercontinental” port, through which goods were imported from all over the ancient world, including exotic animals such as monkeys.

“The residents were mainly Romans but probably also people from all over the world at that time. All who wanted to make a living from exclusive goods—a kind of ancient Shanghai, Hamburg or Los Angeles,” Osypińska said.

One of the most intriguing aspects of ancient Berenike is its animal cemetery where its inhabitants buried their pets. To date, researchers have documented more than 700 burials at the site, including cats, dogs of various breeds and monkeys.

The animals at the cemetery appear to have been buried with “respect and care,” while there appears to be no evidence that any were deliberately killed, according to Osypińska, whose team is conducting research at the site.

Instead, researchers have found evidence of people caring for animals—even sick and old ones—and burying them in a human-like manner when they died. In some cases, the animals were buried alongside toys, collars, bead necklaces and other items.

Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about archaeology? Let us know via science@newsweek.com.