monkey

Three dozen monkey burials at the ancient Red Sea port of Berenike reveal that Roman military elite maintained exotic primates as beloved companions, complete with grave goods - and their own animal companions! This extraordinary discovery changes previous assumptions about ancient pet keeping and reveals the first archaeological evidence of live animal trade from India to the Roman Empire during the 1st and 2nd centuries AD. Indian Monkeys Replace African Species in Roman Pet Culture Archaeologists working at the animal cemetery at Berenike have documented remains from three dozen primates, marking a significant shift in Roman pet-keeping practices. Previously, the handful of monkey skeletons discovered at other Roman sites, including one that perished during Mount Vesuvius's eruption at Pompeii, were