Medical drugs are discovered on the site of the incident 2 thousand years ago shipwreck, suggests that the Mediterranean civilization of classical antiquity knew very complicated preparations.

Merchant ship sank about 130 B.C. near the shores of the Italian region of Tuscany. He was noticed in 1974 and has been dubbed "Relato del Postino" - in honor of the beach, next to which be found. Archaeological excavations carried out in 1989 and 1990, gave glass bowls and vases, which were transporting wine, and the lamps, and tin and bronze vessels, most likely produced in the Eastern Mediterranean.

In addition, the artifacts were allegedly kept in a rotten wooden chest: wooden bowl, Cup, used probably for bloodletting, and other accessories ancient doctor. Among other things, there was a small metal cylinder - pixida - five pellets of about 4 cm in diameter. The vessel was closed so tightly that its contents are preserved to our days.

Analysis of one of the tablets, conducted by Italian scientists, showed that the major components of ancient drugs were zinc oxide (hydrozincite) and zinc spar (smithsonite). In addition, consisted of a variety of materials animal and vegetable origin, first of all, pollen, beeswax and pine resin.

Scientists note that in the writings of Roman Pliny the Elder and the Greek Padania dioskorida, recognized authorities of his time, zinc compounds called useful for the eyes and skin. By the way, the Latin "collyrium", meaning "a lotion for the eyes", comes from the Greek word, which meant small round bread.

Initially it was thought that these were the kind of vitamins that sailors used during long journeys.

The study is published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Based on the materials ScienceNOW.