During a recent dig focusing on Pompeiian artisanship and economy, researchers from the French Jean Berard Centre in Naples in southern Italy stumbled on a striking new find near the Herculaneaum Gate, alongside the famous Villa of the Mysteries. The nearly intact tomb dated all the way back to the 4th century B.C., and contained the remains of an adult woman, between 35 and 40 years of age, along with a number of vases and clay jars known as amphoras. The researchers determined that the pottery came from various regions of Italy, indicating a robust trade between the Samnites and other Italic peoples on the peninsula. The scientists will analyze the contents of the amphoras in the weeks to come, but they are believed to include food, wine and cosmetics.
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