August 2, 2021

"Fruit baskets that have survived intact from the fourth century BC are being studied by archaeologists who unearthed them from a sunken city off the coast of Egypt."

"The wicker containers were found filled with grapeseeds and doum nuts, the fruit of an African palm tree sacred to ancient Egyptians, in the submerged ruins of Thonis-Heracleion.They had remained untouched since the city disappeared beneath the waves in the second century BC, when it was struck by a series of disasters including a powerful earthquake. The discovery has been hailed as 'incredible' by Franck Goddio, a French marine archaeologist who found the ancient site two decades ago.... 'Nothing was disturbed. It was very striking to see baskets of fruits.'"

The London Times reports.

2 comments:

Ann Althouse said...

Temujin writes:

"Interesting that they've discovered fruit baskets from the 4th Century BC. I received one last month that seemed to be from the 1700s. I still ate it, but wondered if pineapple should be that color."

Ann Althouse said...

MJB Wolf writes:

"Of course it was intact. These baskets, like fruitcake or the ones with boxes of various cheeses and crackers, are often regifted until they get to someone like Temujin who will open it and taste the contents. This is a process that can take years maybe centuries to complete."