Roman Croatia: Twin Babies’ Lead Poisoning Death
Uncover a gripping story from Roman Croatia: Fraternal twins, buried nearly 2,000 years ago, may have died from lead poisoning. New research suggests this tragic event, linked to possible exposure during pregnancy or through breast milk, sheds light on the widespread impact of lead during the Roman Empire. Dive into the details of a rare ancient twin burial discovered near Trogir, a UNESCO World Heritage site. News Directory 3 brings you the complete story, exploring the evidence of lead affecting the health of the era’s inhabitants.Discover what’s next in the ongoing investigation.
Ancient Twin Burial in Croatia May Be Linked to Lead Poisoning
Updated May 27, 2025
Nearly 2,000 years ago, fraternal twins—a boy and a girl—were buried facing one another in what is now Croatia. A recent study suggests lead poisoning may have played a role in their deaths.
The burial site,Dragulin cemetery,came to light in 2016 during parking lot construction near Trogir,a UNESCO World Heritage site known as Tragurium in Roman times. This area became part of the Roman province of Illyricum following Julius Caesar’s civil war in 47 B.C.
Bioarchaeologist Anna Osterholtz of Mississippi State University, the study’s lead author, told Live Science that this is a rare find. ”It is one of the very few double burials known in Croatia and is the only double burial of very young individuals in this cemetery,” she said.
The study, published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, indicates the twins were buried between the end of the first and the late second century A.D. DNA analysis confirmed they were fraternal twins who likely died within two months of birth, or were stillborn.
Osterholtz noted the care taken in their burial. “The burial posture of both twins suggests that they were crucial to their family and buried with meaningful care,” she said. “This is the first case of fraternal twins from the Roman period in Croatia that has been confirmed via aDNA analysis.”
Possible Causes of death
Evidence suggests the twins suffered from chronic metabolic disease, perhaps stemming from nutritional deficiencies or the body’s inability to process nutrients. Given their young age, their nutrition would have depended entirely on their mother.
Another theory involves lead poisoning, common in the Roman era due to its use in pipes and cookware. Skeletal conditions observed in the twins align with the effects of lead exposure, such as increased bone porosity. Amy Pyle-Eilola, assistant professor of pathology at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, who was not involved in the study, explained that lead exposure through breast milk is a known cause of elevated infant blood lead levels and metabolic bone disease.
While the twins’ remains weren’t tested for lead, similar cases in the area have shown high lead levels in Roman-era children. “So, if the mother had a significant lead exposure…it is absolutely possible that the lead was passed to the twins during pregnancy and/or via breastmilk, and the resulting elevation in lead could cause the observed bone disease,” Pyle-Eilola said.
However, Pyle-Eilola cautioned that other nutritional, genetic, and developmental issues could also explain the metabolic bone disease.
What’s next
Further research is needed to determine the precise cause of death and to understand the prevalence of lead exposure in Roman-era populations in the region.