Researchers analyzing incense residue discovered in ancient Pompeii have uncovered evidence suggesting trade connections between the Roman city and sub-Saharan Africa. The burnt offerings, originally found in a household shrine during excavations in the 1980s, contained resin from the tropical regions of Africa and Asia. Scientists believe the materials traveled through Red Sea trading networks as early as the first century BC, demonstrating the vast commercial reach of the Roman world. The discovery adds fresh insight into Pompeii’s economic and cultural ties before the city was destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79. Archaeologists say the findings highlight how goods from distant African rainforests circulated alongside other luxury commodities in Mediterranean markets.
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