2023-05-07 12:09:31
Recent excavations in the Forum of Caesar in Rome have unraveled valuable information about 16th century medicine and the removal of hazardous materials.
Rome: Archaeologists Unravel Past Medical Practices
A recent study links a 2021 excavation at Caesar’s Forum with another in 2009 at the Ospedale dei Fornari, a 16th-century hospital. Both excavations revealed waste dumps and similar objects, including medical equipment, food-related utensils, and personal belongings.
The medical objects found in both excavations are strikingly similar, suggesting they came from the same Renaissance Roman workshop.. Among these objects are ceramic medicine containers, blown glass vessels, and urine jars, called Matula in Latin.
Caesar’s Forum and urine analysis in renaissance medicine
Urine was essential in Renaissance medicine to detect diseases such as jaundice, kidney problems or diabetes. The urine vials, difficult to identify in archaeological excavations, were recognized for their medical context at the dump.
Besides, food-related items were found, such as reheating pots and plates and bowls to individually serve patients. Some patients might even have brought their own dinnerware personalized with family heraldry.
Personal items and hygiene protocols in the hospital
Patients received a standard set of personal items for their use, probably for hygienic reasons.. These sets, made up of a jug, a glass, a bowl and a plate, were disposed of in pits at the end of the patient’s stay in the hospital.
Excavations in the Forum of Caesar reveal measures against the plague
Lead clamps and charred wood were found in the 2021 excavation, suggesting that the hospital followed standard 16th-century protocol in dealing with the plague. A 1588 manual instructed doctors to burn all the furniture in a house contaminated by the plague.
Summary
Excavations at the Forum of Caesar in Rome have revealed 16th-century medical practices, providing valuable insight into Renaissance medicine and hygiene protocols in hospitals of the time. These discoveries highlight the importance of Caesar’s Forum in the study of Roman history and culture.
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