In an intriguing discovery that sheds light on the complex practices of the ancient Romans, a bio-archaeologist from the University of Reading, Ellen Green, has uncovered an ancient dog’s red-painted baculum (penis bone) in a Roman-era quarry shaft. This rare find, along with hundreds of other bones, was documented in her paper published in the Oxford Journal of Archaeology. Green’s research not only focuses on the peculiar bone but also explores its potential cultural significance, offering new insights into burial rituals and religious practices during Roman times.
The archaeological site, known as Nescot, is located near the modern town of Ewell in the United Kingdom. The site’s excavation began in 2015 when a group of archaeologists discovered a deep, four-meter shaft dug into the rock. This shaft, upon further investigation, revealed itself to be a burial site, containing hundreds of bones from both humans and animals. Green’s research centers on one particularly unusual find: a dog’s penis bone that had been painted with red ochre, an ancient pigment that was frequently used by cultures worldwide for symbolic purposes.
Among the vast collection of remains recovered from the shaft, over 280 animal bones were identified, with approximately 70% of them being from dogs. These animals did not show any signs of butchering, disease, or burning, leading Green to hypothesize that they were not sacrificed for food or ritual slaughter. Instead, it seems that these animals, including the dogs, may have been pets or working animals that had died of natural causes and were then buried. The painted baculum stands out among these bones, offering a glimpse into the potential cultural or spiritual significance that animals—and their body parts—held for the Romans.
The presence of the red-painted dog’s baculum in the burial site is particularly striking because it appears to have been deliberately modified before being interred. Red ochre, a mineral pigment known for its vibrant red color, has long been associated with funerary and ritualistic practices in various ancient cultures. Green suggests that the painting of the baculum could have been an intentional act, possibly tied to fertility rituals or religious beliefs, which were central to Roman society. In Roman times, depictions of the penis and fertility symbols were often used to invoke good fortune, particularly in contexts related to childbirth, agriculture, and the renewal of life.
The painted bone’s presence in the shaft may therefore reflect the idea that it was part of a ritual practice, either as an offering or as a talisman of sorts, aimed at invoking favorable outcomes. Green’s paper proposes that the baculum could have played a symbolic role in the burial practices of the time, reinforcing the notion that this burial site was not simply a dumping ground for animal remains, but rather a sacred or significant location where certain beliefs were practiced.
The shaft itself was used as a burial site over an extended period, with remains being added to it approximately nine times over the span of about 50 years. This continuous use suggests that the site had particular cultural or religious importance. Some bones found in the shaft showed signs of having been removed at one point, only to be returned later, further deepening the mystery of the site’s ritualistic use. Such activities point to a belief system in which bones and other remnants could be interacted with multiple times over generations, possibly reflecting ancestral worship or a desire to maintain continuity with the past.
While it is impossible to definitively explain why or how the painted baculum was placed in the shaft, Green’s analysis points to the possibility that the bone was part of a broader ritual associated with fertility or protection. The fact that it was painted and singled out from the other bones in the grave suggests that it held particular importance, perhaps as a protective or luck-bringing object.
The discovery of this painted dog’s baculum offers a fascinating glimpse into the religious and cultural practices of the Romans during a time when their belief systems and rituals were deeply intertwined with nature, fertility, and death. The use of animal parts, particularly those that could be seen as symbolically charged—like the penis bone—suggests that the Romans had a more intricate understanding of life and death than we might have assumed. While evidence of ritualistic animal burials exists elsewhere in the Roman world, the painted bone from Nescot adds a new layer to our understanding of how animal remains were integrated into Roman rituals.
For Green, this is not just an isolated find but part of a larger pattern that reflects the way Romans viewed the world around them. The burial site at Nescot is not just a random assemblage of bones; it appears to be a deliberate and thoughtful display of the complex relationships between the living, the dead, and the supernatural. The painted dog’s baculum, a rare and one-of-a-kind object, holds potential clues to unraveling the rituals and beliefs of the ancient Romans, demonstrating the profound role that animals played in their spiritual and cultural practices.
More information: Ellen Green, Life from death: multi‐species fertility rituals within a Romano-British ritual shaft in southern England, Oxford Journal of Archaeology (2024). DOI: 10.1111/ojoa.12317