Archaeologists discovered two twin babies buried together in a grave dating between the late 1st century and the late 2nd century AD in the ancient city of Tragurium, now modern-day Trogir in Croatia. The study, published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, reconstructs the osteobiography of these infants, offering a detailed insight into their short lives and the historical context in which they lived and died.
The remains were uncovered during rescue excavations at the cemetery of a Roman villa in Dragulin, a site on the outskirts of Tragurium. The archaeologists found the skeletons of the two babies placed face to face within the same burial pit. This arrangement suggests that they were interred in a single event, reinforcing the hypothesis that they died at the same time, possibly due to a complicated birth or an early illness.
Genetic analysis confirmed that they were fraternal twins, a boy and a girl, a rare case in the archaeological records of the period. The study highlights the significance of this discovery, as the burials of newborns and young children are often underrepresented in Roman cemeteries, possibly due to differences in funerary practices at the time.
The bioarchaeological analysis of the remains has revealed signs of significant metabolic diseases. Both infants showed bone alterations consistent with scurvy and rickets, suggesting severe nutritional deficiencies from gestation. These diseases are usually linked to maternal deficiencies in transmitting essential nutrients, which could indicate that the twins’ mother also suffered from malnutrition or adverse conditions during pregnancy.
Additionally, isotopic studies of the skeletal remains indicate that the mother’s diet consisted of foods typical of the Roman era, with a high consumption of marine products and vegetables such as wheat and barley. This finding reinforces the idea that the twins received their nutrients exclusively through their mother, either in utero or via breastfeeding.
Researchers emphasize that high infant mortality was a common feature of Roman society. It is estimated that up to 30% of children did not survive their first year of life due to infections, malnutrition, and poor hygiene conditions. However, the case of these twins is particularly striking due to the clear evidence of metabolic diseases and the way they were buried.
In Roman culture, infant burials could differ significantly from those of adults. While adults were frequently cremated or buried in organized cemeteries, babies and young children were often interred in more informal spaces, such as inside homes or private areas. At the Dragulin cemetery, several infant burials have been found, some inside amphorae, suggesting a specific funerary pattern for the youngest members of the community.
Another relevant aspect of the study is the possible link between the twins’ health and lead contamination, a well-documented issue in Roman society. Lead was present in numerous everyday objects, from water pipes to cooking utensils and cosmetics. Previous studies have shown that lead levels in the skeletal remains of Roman populations were significantly higher compared to earlier periods.
Lead can severely impact fetal and neonatal development, causing metabolic disorders and increasing vulnerability to diseases. Although the Tragurium twins have not yet been analyzed to determine their lead levels, the high incidence of metabolic diseases in the community suggests that this contamination may have been a contributing factor to their health and development.
The osteobiographical approach used in this research allows for the reconstruction of key aspects of the twins’ lives and their community. The combination of archaeological, genetic, and chemical analyses provides a detailed view of how they lived, what they ate, and what diseases they suffered from in early Roman Tragurium.
This discovery also sheds light on funerary practices and beliefs about death in Roman society. The positioning of the bodies, the choice of burial site, and the absence of grave goods suggest special care by the family, challenging the notion that deceased infants were treated with indifference in the Roman world.
SOURCES
Anna Osterholtz, Mario Novak, et al., Death and burial of a set of fraternal twins from Tragurium: An osteobiographical approach. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, Volume 62, April 2025, 105071. doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2025.105071
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