Reperti carpologici in due boccali (Convento benedettino di S. Antonio in Polesine - Ferrara, fine XV-XVI sec. d.C.): possibili documenti di antiche preparazioni officinali

During the archaeological excavations in the Benedictine Convent of S. Antonio in Polesine- FE, were collected six vessels dated back to the end of XV and the begin of XVI century. Results of archaeocarpological analyses carried out in their fills (and in the sediments round the vessels), were reported. Only two vessels (Pot n° 1 – US 46 and Pot n° 5 – US 420) contained seeds/fruits and the aim of this work was to identify the plant species and the most probably use of the content of each vessel. The seeds/fruits (sf), in mediocre conservation state, belonged to few and different taxa. All the taxa were common medicinal plants. This fact, together with various other clues, indicated that their presence in the vessels was not casual, but that they were introduced with a precise aim; we hypothesized that the vessel probably contained preparations for therapeutical use. In particular we think that the plants contained in the Pot n° 1 (Ficus carica, Galium cf. aparine, Sambucus ebulus, Umbelliferae) probably could be used as a topic remedy for skin diseases. The Pot n° 5 contained, instead, abundant sf of five plants (Chenopodium/Atriplex, Euphorbia peplus, Malva sp., Mercurialis annua, Portulaca oleracea); for all these species it was possible to found a synergic action, on the gastro enteric apparatus. So our hypothesis was that this preparation possessed strong cathartic action due to Euphorbia peplus, and Mercurialis annua, alleviated by the antispasmolytic action of the other plants. In conclusion, even if we are conscious that may appear hazardous our attempt to understand the possible therapeutic use of these mixtures prepared long time ago with different knowledges and way of life, we retain that our hypothesis, based on the reference to books dated back to that age, could be enough realistic and not in contrast with the current knowledgements on these plants.