Archaeologists excavating a well-preserved middle-class residence in the ancient port city of Ostia have discovered unique deposits of charred black beans scattered near the threshold of the main door. The specific placement and carbon dating of these remains suggest they were part of the Lemuria, an ancient Roman festival held in May to appease the restless spirits of the dead (lemures).
According to historical texts, the head of the household would walk barefoot through the house at night, throwing black beans over his shoulder to buy his family's safety from ghosts. This discovery marks one of the first times physical evidence of this specific private domestic ritual has been identified in situ, providing a rare glimpse into the personal religious anxieties and celebratory safeguards of the Roman citizenry.