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

位于西西里岛西部（意大利）马尔萨拉泻湖的莫蒂亚腓尼基-布匿遗址的考古植物遗骸是在 2017 年至 2019 年的挖掘活动中通过浮选和筛分收集的。分析的重点是位于卡皮达祖神庙西南侧的祭祀场，献给梅尔卡特/赫拉克勒斯，在那里还发现了七头牛的埋葬遗骸。主要通过矿化作用保存下来的植物遗骸提供了有关仪式习俗的信息。对牲畜的有毒植物（一些紫草科、大戟科和Anagallis arvensis）的回收表明，它们在宰杀动物之前可用于将其击晕。此外，仍然指水果（Vitis vinifera）和花卉（Verbena officinalis）），以及观赏植物（Cupressus cf. sempervirens）和药用植物（Borago officinalis）也被发现。