ABSTRACT

Archaeobotanical remains from the Phoenician – Punic site of Motya, set in the Marsala Lagoon in Western Sicily (Italy), were collected through flotation and sieving during the excavation campaigns of 2017–2019. Analyses focused on a sacrificial favissa, on the SW side of the Temple of Cappiddazzu, dedicated to Melqart/Herakles, where the buried remains of seven bovines were also found. Plant remains, preserved mostly by mineralisation, provide information about ritual practices. The retrieval of toxic plants to livestock (some Boraginaceae and Euphorbiaceae, and Anagallis arvensis) suggests their use to stun animals before sacrificing them. Additionally, remains referable to fruit (Vitis vinifera) and flower offerings (Verbena officinalis), as well as ornamental (Cupressus cf. sempervirens) and officinal plants (Borago officinalis) were also found.

摘要

在2017-2019年的挖掘活动中，通过浮选和筛分收集了来自Motya的腓尼基– Punic遗址的古植物遗址，该遗址位于西西里岛（意大利）的Marsala泻湖中。分析的重点是在Cappiddazzu神庙的西南侧的祭祀favissa上，这是献给Melqart / Herakles的，那里还发现了七头牛的埋葬遗骸。植物残骸主要通过矿化保存，可提供有关仪式习惯的信息。将有毒植物（牲畜科，大戟科和Anagallis arvensis）恢复到家畜后，建议在杀死动物之前先用它们使动物昏迷。此外，仍可参考水果（Vitis vinifera）和花卉产品（马鞭草（Verbena officinalis）），观赏植物（Cupressus cf. sempervirens）和药用植物（Borago officinalis）也被发现。