Papers by Merit Hondelink
Paleo-aktueel, 2018
What’s for dinner at the Oude Mannenhuis?
This paper focuses on providing a nuanced picture of th... more What’s for dinner at the Oude Mannenhuis?
This paper focuses on providing a nuanced picture of the daily meal consumed at the Oude Mannenhuis, an almshouse for elderly men in Early Modern Delft (1411-1792). It aims to do so by combining historical documents dealing with food-purchase orders and archaeobotanical macro remains taken from the cesspits. The historical documents, written by the steward, suggest a frugal and monotonous diet, which appears to be incomplete as it lacks generic food items such as fruit, vegetables, herbs and spices known to have been consumed during the Medieval and Early Modern periods. Yet the additional archaeobotanical data shows that at least 43 edible plant species were consumed by the residents of the Oude Mannenhuis. Most of these species are indigenous and were probably grown within and around the town of Delft, though some exotic species were also present. This combined research shows a more nuanced picture of the daily menu consumed by the elderly men of the Oude Mannenhuis.
Plantaardige resten in archeologische opgravingen worden gebruikt voor het reconstrueren van het ... more Plantaardige resten in archeologische opgravingen worden gebruikt voor het reconstrueren van het landschap waarin mensen leefden. Ook biedt dit type onderzoek de mogelijkheid om het dieet van onze voorouders te achterhalen. Bij stedelijke opgravingen vindt die reconstructie voornamelijk plaats aan de hand van vondsten uit beer- en waterputten. Vaak bevinden zich in deze contexten grote aantallen zaden en vruchten, onder ander fruit.
Sniffing out herbs and spices: exploring
the potential of volatile organic compounds
(VOCs) in th... more Sniffing out herbs and spices: exploring
the potential of volatile organic compounds
(VOCs) in the archaeobotanical
research of cesspits
Assessing the range of economic plant taxa
that were cultivated, procured and consumed
by past societies is a difficult procedure within
Archaeobotany. Food preparation, consumption
and digestion have an impact on the preservation
of seeds/fruits, roots, stems and leaves, and
moreover it has an impact on their presence or
absence within archaeobotanical samples. This
results in a bias in favour of the preserved plant
taxa, and can overestimate their position within
past diets. Therefore, exploring an alternative
methodology, which can indicate a fuller range
of edible plant taxa and plant-based products
in archaeobotanical samples is valuable. The
analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
can provide a more representative range of such
plants that cannot be identified via traditional
microscopic methods (e.g. pulverised herbs and
spices, resins and other aromatics). This pilot
study has two main aims: to determine if VOCs
related to consumed plant remains are still present
in archaeological cesspit samples and to
assess the potential application of this method
within archaeobotanical research. By comparing
the VOCs found in archaeological cesspits with
the (species-specific) VOCs mentioned in contemporary
food research publications, the share
of vulnerable plant species such as herbs and
spices in past societies diet will be better represented
in archaeobotanical research.
F.B.J. Heinrich & M. Hondelink, Tijdschrift voor Mediterrane Archeologie, 56 (2017) 22-31.
This... more F.B.J. Heinrich & M. Hondelink, Tijdschrift voor Mediterrane Archeologie, 56 (2017) 22-31.
This paper aims to assess the accessibility of pepper to average Roman consumers in terms of price by quantifying
the cost of ‘meaningful’ culinary pepper consumption. To this end, by performing measurements on modern pepper
samples, we first quantify Roman pepper prices and units of measurement more concretely. What was the cost of a
peppercorn, and how many were there to the libra and other units? We then define and quantify ‘meaningful’ pepper
consumption using modern consumption statistics and cooking data. Subsequently we compare these data to Roman
incomes. We show that, if only looking at price, regular culinary pepper consumption would even have been possible
for lower income consumers.
In addition, we also used our method to quantify the value of amounts of pepper in literary sources and archaeological
finds. We look in more detail at Apicius’ De Re Coquinaria, which features many recipes with infeasibly high
quantities of pepper. We show that in most recipes where the amount of pepper is explicitly quantified and large, whole
peppercorns instead of ground pepper was used. We show that this excessive yet inefficient usage of pepper as ‘garnish’
is a form of conspicuous consumption. We argue this may be a response to normal, efficient pepper use, becoming too
commonplace and not distinctive enough for elites. We also explore the price difference between the different types of
pepper the Romans consumed. We explain these differences from the perspective of production cost through assessing
traditional production processes and agronomic statistics.
This session aims to explore how food choice and alimentary practices in Europe changed through t... more This session aims to explore how food choice and alimentary practices in Europe changed through time, but also how these changes may be linked to culture, technological innovations, shifting borders and the rise and fall of civilizations. The session organizers encourage researchers who have successfully studied different cultures or periods, passing existing cultural or political borders (e.g. including material from two or more different cultures or European countries) or comparing rural environments to towns to submit a proposal, as well as those researchers who have encountered difficulties when trying to operate projects which cross cultural or political boundaries.
Possible research topics to address:
- What food types are ‘invisible’ in the environmental record, and what can we do to address this?
- Dictated changes in crop cultivation in regions under foreign occupation
- The effect of famine on the choices of crop cultivation
- Reconstructed food distribution routes
- Trends in food and medicine
- The assimilation of “new” or “exotic” foods in periods with large migrations
- Town and rural hinterland relationships
- The influence of the “culinary revolution”, the import of overseas products in the 17th and 18th century, on the European city diet.
- The industrial revolution and its impact on the nature of food production.
Practical information:
The organization welcomes papers in English. Candidates are invited to submit a title and abstract of 300 words maximum before February 15th 2016. The abstract, accompanied by the affiliation and address data of the candidate, can be uploaded via the registration system for papers/posters at the conference website: http://eaavilnius2016.lt/.
Candidates will be informed regarding the acceptance of their proposals by the 15th of March.
Session organizers:
Dr. Julian Wiethold, Institute national de recherches archéologiques preventives (Inrap), Direction interrégionale Grand Est nord, Laboratoire archéobotaniques, 12, rue de Méric, F-57063 Metz cedex 2,
[email protected]
Merit Hondelink, MA, Archeodienst Noord bv, Osloweg 95, 9723 BK Groningen
[email protected]
Don O’Meara, Durham University, Dawson Building, Department of Archaeology, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE
[email protected]
DESCRIPTION Een inventariserend veldonderzoek in de vorm van proefsleuven en een archeologische o... more DESCRIPTION Een inventariserend veldonderzoek in de vorm van proefsleuven en een archeologische opgraving in de Grote Marktstraat 44-46 in Den Haag
What did early modern (spiced) cherry jam taste like? Maybe somewhat like this:
Vijf eeuwen hutspot: een geschiedenis van de Nederlandse stamppot met wortelen.
Op koude winter... more Vijf eeuwen hutspot: een geschiedenis van de Nederlandse stamppot met wortelen.
Op koude winterdagen wordt in Nederland stamppot gegeten, een éénpansgerecht van aardappelen, boerenkool, zuurkool, andijvie of wortels en uien dat wordt opgediend met (rook)worst of een lapje vlees en jus. Lange tijd, tot in de twintigste eeuw, werden dergelijke gerechten echter bereid tijdens de oogstmaanden, wanneer arbeiders lange dagen maakten op het land en veel energie nodig hadden om het zware werk te kunnen verrichten.
De beroemdste melding van hutspot betreft de inhoud van een ketel die door de Spanjaarden in de nacht van 2 op 3 oktober 1574 op de Lammenschans werd achtergelaten. De inhoud van deze ketel werd door de Leidenaren hutspot genoemd en bevatte, volgens de overlevering, waarschijnlijk wortelen, pastinaak, uien en vlees.
De vraag dringt zich op of hutspot door de Spanjaarden, die de aardappel introduceerden, is gecreëerd of dat het gerecht al eerder bestond. En in hoeverre is dit historische gerecht verwant aan onze hedendaagse hutspot, aangezien de aardappel pas in de loop van de achttiende eeuw een stapelvoedsel werd. Wat vormde bijna vijf eeuwen geleden dan de basis van dit gerecht en welke veranderingen heeft hutspot ondergaan om tot zijn huidige samenstelling te komen? Diverse historische recepten en meldingen uit de Middeleeuwen en de Vroegmoderne tijd bieden een kijkje in de keuken en schijnen een licht op de geschiedenis van de “Nederlandse” hutspot.
Prehistorische raatakkers op de Hoorneboegse Heide bij Hilversum.
Houtskoolbijdrage door M. Hond... more Prehistorische raatakkers op de Hoorneboegse Heide bij Hilversum.
Houtskoolbijdrage door M. Hondelink & O. Brinkkemper
Afgevraagd kan worden of er verlies van informatie optreedt, en zo ja in welke mate, wanneer onde... more Afgevraagd kan worden of er verlies van informatie optreedt, en zo ja in welke mate, wanneer onderzoek zich alleen zou richten op een archeobotanische analyse van gedroogde zeefresidues afkomstig uit flotatiemonsters, in tegenstelling tot de traditionele analyse van labresiduen.
(Studenten verslag)
The archaeobotanical remains of several cesspits and wells from Vlissingen were analyzed to deter... more The archaeobotanical remains of several cesspits and wells from Vlissingen were analyzed to determine if ‘processing marks’, the resulting marks on the plant remains from specific preparation methods, are present and if these marks can be used to differentiate between kitchen waste and consumption waste or excrement. By combining the results from archaeobotanical analysis with historical recipes and experimental research, it was possible to associate some processing marks with a specific type of preparation method, such as chewing, pressing, cutting and cracking, for the hazelnut fruit, almond, walnut and cherry stones, and also apple and pear seeds. Though other types of preparation methods were more difficult to distinguish, this study shows that in some cases it is possible to distinguish kitchen waste and consumption waste or excrement.
Beschrijvingen van eten zijn zo oud als het schrift. Historische schriftelijke bronnen over eten ... more Beschrijvingen van eten zijn zo oud als het schrift. Historische schriftelijke bronnen over eten beschrijven niet alleen de praktische kant van het koken, ook de medische kwaliteiten van ingrediënten worden breed uitgemeten. Op deze manier leveren dergelijke bronnen een schat aan informatie over wat men at, bereidde en hoe men vroeger over eten dacht. Maar aten mensen vroeger daadwerkelijk alles wat in de kookboeken wordt vermeld? In dit artikel wordt het beeld dat historische kookboeken voorschotelen, genuanceerd met behulp van archeobotanische bronnen.
Books by Merit Hondelink
In deze Rapportage Archeologische Monumentenzorg (RAM) wordt verslag gedaan van een veldtoets die... more In deze Rapportage Archeologische Monumentenzorg (RAM) wordt verslag gedaan van een veldtoets die is uitgevoerd op de Hoorneboegse Heide, ten zuiden van Hilversum. Aanleiding was de ontdekking van een dambordvormig patroon op het Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland (AHN2). Dit leek sterk op een wallensysteem van een prehistorisch akkercomplex, ook wel ‘raatakker’ of ‘Celtic field’ genoemd. De veldtoets wees uit dat er op de Hoorneboegse Heide inderdaad een raatakkercomplex aanwezig is, maar dat dit wallensysteem door eeuwenlang gebruik van de heide is afgevlakt.
De Hoorneboegse Heide is een aansprekend voorbeeld van een gelaagd landschap. Overblijfselen uit het verre en minder verre verleden zijn daar te ervaren: prehistorische grafheuvels, een raatakkercomplex, bundels karrensporen en een opgevulde antitankgracht uit de Tweede Wereldoorlog. Het is een lange en gevarieerde geschiedenis die de moeite van het vertellen waard is.
Events by Merit Hondelink
"Public Works: Building for the Greater Good"
No city without public works. In order to create a... more "Public Works: Building for the Greater Good"
No city without public works. In order to create a functioning and thriving city, its people will inevitably need to invest in communal architectural projects such as infrastructure, open facilities, public spaces and public buildings. However, such buildings did not solely have a utilitarian function. From aqueduct to amphitheatre and from park to public toilet: public works play an important social, political and economic role. At the same time their architecture offers a place for elites to showcase their wealth and power through ostentation.
This symposium explores the variety of functions public works have had and the diverse roles they have played within ancient Mediterranean societies. In addition, to bridge past and present, we want to reflect on how these public works of the past continue to play important roles in present-day societies.
Articles by Merit Hondelink
Vegetation History and Archaeobotany, 2020
Past plant food consumption has been studied diachronically and spatially for many Dutch settleme... more Past plant food consumption has been studied diachronically and spatially for many Dutch settlements. However, research into the plant food consumption of Early Modern Dutch inhabitants of urban settlements is somewhat underrepresented in the scientific archaeobotanical literature. To fill this knowledge gap, archaeobotanical data from cesspits dating to the period AD 1500–1850 contained in the Dutch Relational Archaeobotanical Database were analysed. First, edible plant taxa were distinguished from medicinal plants and potentially edible weeds. Then, seeds and fruits were distinguished from pollen. Finally, the remains were quantified to form an overview of the plant taxa consumed per urban settlement and, from there, to provide insight into regional and temporal changes in plant food availability and preferences. The combined archaeobotanical dataset, consisting of cesspit material from 51 cities, comprised 97 edible plant taxa. Surprisingly, 20 of these taxa are consistently present in 50–100% of all settlements in the 350 years under study. Based on the archaeobotanical finds from the cesspits, we conclude that the overall plant food consumption of Early Modern Dutch urban inhabitants does not seem to have changed very much over time.
TMA56, 2017
This paper aims to assess the accessibility of pepper to average Roman consumers in terms of pric... more This paper aims to assess the accessibility of pepper to average Roman consumers in terms of price by quantifying the cost of ‘meaningful’ culinary pepper consumption. To this end, by performing measurements on modern pepper samples, we first quantify Roman pepper prices and units of measurement more concretely. What was the cost of a peppercorn, and how many were there to the libra and other units? We then define and quantify ‘meaningful’ pepper consumption using modern consumption statistics and cooking data. Subsequently we compare these data to Roman incomes. We show that, if only looking at price, regular culinary pepper consumption would even have been possible for lower income consumers. In addition, we also used our method to quantify the value of amounts of pepper in literary sources and archaeological finds. We look in more detail at Apicius’ De Re Coquinaria, which features many recipes with infeasibly high quantities of pepper. We show that in most recipes where the amount of pepper is explicitly quantified and large, whole peppercorns instead of ground pepper was used. We show that this excessive yet inefficient usage of pepper as ‘garnish’ is a form of conspicuous consumption. We argue this may be a response to normal, efficient pepper use, becoming too commonplace and not distinctive enough for elites. We also explore the price difference between the different types of pepper the Romans consumed. We explain these differences from the perspective of production cost through assessing traditional production processes and agronomic statistics.
Talks by Merit Hondelink
12-04-2018 RAC/TRAC 2018 Edinburgh
Announcements by Merit Hondelink
Reviews by Merit Hondelink
Uploads
Papers by Merit Hondelink
This paper focuses on providing a nuanced picture of the daily meal consumed at the Oude Mannenhuis, an almshouse for elderly men in Early Modern Delft (1411-1792). It aims to do so by combining historical documents dealing with food-purchase orders and archaeobotanical macro remains taken from the cesspits. The historical documents, written by the steward, suggest a frugal and monotonous diet, which appears to be incomplete as it lacks generic food items such as fruit, vegetables, herbs and spices known to have been consumed during the Medieval and Early Modern periods. Yet the additional archaeobotanical data shows that at least 43 edible plant species were consumed by the residents of the Oude Mannenhuis. Most of these species are indigenous and were probably grown within and around the town of Delft, though some exotic species were also present. This combined research shows a more nuanced picture of the daily menu consumed by the elderly men of the Oude Mannenhuis.
the potential of volatile organic compounds
(VOCs) in the archaeobotanical
research of cesspits
Assessing the range of economic plant taxa
that were cultivated, procured and consumed
by past societies is a difficult procedure within
Archaeobotany. Food preparation, consumption
and digestion have an impact on the preservation
of seeds/fruits, roots, stems and leaves, and
moreover it has an impact on their presence or
absence within archaeobotanical samples. This
results in a bias in favour of the preserved plant
taxa, and can overestimate their position within
past diets. Therefore, exploring an alternative
methodology, which can indicate a fuller range
of edible plant taxa and plant-based products
in archaeobotanical samples is valuable. The
analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
can provide a more representative range of such
plants that cannot be identified via traditional
microscopic methods (e.g. pulverised herbs and
spices, resins and other aromatics). This pilot
study has two main aims: to determine if VOCs
related to consumed plant remains are still present
in archaeological cesspit samples and to
assess the potential application of this method
within archaeobotanical research. By comparing
the VOCs found in archaeological cesspits with
the (species-specific) VOCs mentioned in contemporary
food research publications, the share
of vulnerable plant species such as herbs and
spices in past societies diet will be better represented
in archaeobotanical research.
This paper aims to assess the accessibility of pepper to average Roman consumers in terms of price by quantifying
the cost of ‘meaningful’ culinary pepper consumption. To this end, by performing measurements on modern pepper
samples, we first quantify Roman pepper prices and units of measurement more concretely. What was the cost of a
peppercorn, and how many were there to the libra and other units? We then define and quantify ‘meaningful’ pepper
consumption using modern consumption statistics and cooking data. Subsequently we compare these data to Roman
incomes. We show that, if only looking at price, regular culinary pepper consumption would even have been possible
for lower income consumers.
In addition, we also used our method to quantify the value of amounts of pepper in literary sources and archaeological
finds. We look in more detail at Apicius’ De Re Coquinaria, which features many recipes with infeasibly high
quantities of pepper. We show that in most recipes where the amount of pepper is explicitly quantified and large, whole
peppercorns instead of ground pepper was used. We show that this excessive yet inefficient usage of pepper as ‘garnish’
is a form of conspicuous consumption. We argue this may be a response to normal, efficient pepper use, becoming too
commonplace and not distinctive enough for elites. We also explore the price difference between the different types of
pepper the Romans consumed. We explain these differences from the perspective of production cost through assessing
traditional production processes and agronomic statistics.
Possible research topics to address:
- What food types are ‘invisible’ in the environmental record, and what can we do to address this?
- Dictated changes in crop cultivation in regions under foreign occupation
- The effect of famine on the choices of crop cultivation
- Reconstructed food distribution routes
- Trends in food and medicine
- The assimilation of “new” or “exotic” foods in periods with large migrations
- Town and rural hinterland relationships
- The influence of the “culinary revolution”, the import of overseas products in the 17th and 18th century, on the European city diet.
- The industrial revolution and its impact on the nature of food production.
Practical information:
The organization welcomes papers in English. Candidates are invited to submit a title and abstract of 300 words maximum before February 15th 2016. The abstract, accompanied by the affiliation and address data of the candidate, can be uploaded via the registration system for papers/posters at the conference website: http://eaavilnius2016.lt/.
Candidates will be informed regarding the acceptance of their proposals by the 15th of March.
Session organizers:
Dr. Julian Wiethold, Institute national de recherches archéologiques preventives (Inrap), Direction interrégionale Grand Est nord, Laboratoire archéobotaniques, 12, rue de Méric, F-57063 Metz cedex 2,
[email protected]
Merit Hondelink, MA, Archeodienst Noord bv, Osloweg 95, 9723 BK Groningen
[email protected]
Don O’Meara, Durham University, Dawson Building, Department of Archaeology, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE
[email protected]
Op koude winterdagen wordt in Nederland stamppot gegeten, een éénpansgerecht van aardappelen, boerenkool, zuurkool, andijvie of wortels en uien dat wordt opgediend met (rook)worst of een lapje vlees en jus. Lange tijd, tot in de twintigste eeuw, werden dergelijke gerechten echter bereid tijdens de oogstmaanden, wanneer arbeiders lange dagen maakten op het land en veel energie nodig hadden om het zware werk te kunnen verrichten.
De beroemdste melding van hutspot betreft de inhoud van een ketel die door de Spanjaarden in de nacht van 2 op 3 oktober 1574 op de Lammenschans werd achtergelaten. De inhoud van deze ketel werd door de Leidenaren hutspot genoemd en bevatte, volgens de overlevering, waarschijnlijk wortelen, pastinaak, uien en vlees.
De vraag dringt zich op of hutspot door de Spanjaarden, die de aardappel introduceerden, is gecreëerd of dat het gerecht al eerder bestond. En in hoeverre is dit historische gerecht verwant aan onze hedendaagse hutspot, aangezien de aardappel pas in de loop van de achttiende eeuw een stapelvoedsel werd. Wat vormde bijna vijf eeuwen geleden dan de basis van dit gerecht en welke veranderingen heeft hutspot ondergaan om tot zijn huidige samenstelling te komen? Diverse historische recepten en meldingen uit de Middeleeuwen en de Vroegmoderne tijd bieden een kijkje in de keuken en schijnen een licht op de geschiedenis van de “Nederlandse” hutspot.
Houtskoolbijdrage door M. Hondelink & O. Brinkkemper
(Studenten verslag)
Books by Merit Hondelink
De Hoorneboegse Heide is een aansprekend voorbeeld van een gelaagd landschap. Overblijfselen uit het verre en minder verre verleden zijn daar te ervaren: prehistorische grafheuvels, een raatakkercomplex, bundels karrensporen en een opgevulde antitankgracht uit de Tweede Wereldoorlog. Het is een lange en gevarieerde geschiedenis die de moeite van het vertellen waard is.
Events by Merit Hondelink
No city without public works. In order to create a functioning and thriving city, its people will inevitably need to invest in communal architectural projects such as infrastructure, open facilities, public spaces and public buildings. However, such buildings did not solely have a utilitarian function. From aqueduct to amphitheatre and from park to public toilet: public works play an important social, political and economic role. At the same time their architecture offers a place for elites to showcase their wealth and power through ostentation.
This symposium explores the variety of functions public works have had and the diverse roles they have played within ancient Mediterranean societies. In addition, to bridge past and present, we want to reflect on how these public works of the past continue to play important roles in present-day societies.
Articles by Merit Hondelink
Talks by Merit Hondelink
Announcements by Merit Hondelink
Reviews by Merit Hondelink
This paper focuses on providing a nuanced picture of the daily meal consumed at the Oude Mannenhuis, an almshouse for elderly men in Early Modern Delft (1411-1792). It aims to do so by combining historical documents dealing with food-purchase orders and archaeobotanical macro remains taken from the cesspits. The historical documents, written by the steward, suggest a frugal and monotonous diet, which appears to be incomplete as it lacks generic food items such as fruit, vegetables, herbs and spices known to have been consumed during the Medieval and Early Modern periods. Yet the additional archaeobotanical data shows that at least 43 edible plant species were consumed by the residents of the Oude Mannenhuis. Most of these species are indigenous and were probably grown within and around the town of Delft, though some exotic species were also present. This combined research shows a more nuanced picture of the daily menu consumed by the elderly men of the Oude Mannenhuis.
the potential of volatile organic compounds
(VOCs) in the archaeobotanical
research of cesspits
Assessing the range of economic plant taxa
that were cultivated, procured and consumed
by past societies is a difficult procedure within
Archaeobotany. Food preparation, consumption
and digestion have an impact on the preservation
of seeds/fruits, roots, stems and leaves, and
moreover it has an impact on their presence or
absence within archaeobotanical samples. This
results in a bias in favour of the preserved plant
taxa, and can overestimate their position within
past diets. Therefore, exploring an alternative
methodology, which can indicate a fuller range
of edible plant taxa and plant-based products
in archaeobotanical samples is valuable. The
analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
can provide a more representative range of such
plants that cannot be identified via traditional
microscopic methods (e.g. pulverised herbs and
spices, resins and other aromatics). This pilot
study has two main aims: to determine if VOCs
related to consumed plant remains are still present
in archaeological cesspit samples and to
assess the potential application of this method
within archaeobotanical research. By comparing
the VOCs found in archaeological cesspits with
the (species-specific) VOCs mentioned in contemporary
food research publications, the share
of vulnerable plant species such as herbs and
spices in past societies diet will be better represented
in archaeobotanical research.
This paper aims to assess the accessibility of pepper to average Roman consumers in terms of price by quantifying
the cost of ‘meaningful’ culinary pepper consumption. To this end, by performing measurements on modern pepper
samples, we first quantify Roman pepper prices and units of measurement more concretely. What was the cost of a
peppercorn, and how many were there to the libra and other units? We then define and quantify ‘meaningful’ pepper
consumption using modern consumption statistics and cooking data. Subsequently we compare these data to Roman
incomes. We show that, if only looking at price, regular culinary pepper consumption would even have been possible
for lower income consumers.
In addition, we also used our method to quantify the value of amounts of pepper in literary sources and archaeological
finds. We look in more detail at Apicius’ De Re Coquinaria, which features many recipes with infeasibly high
quantities of pepper. We show that in most recipes where the amount of pepper is explicitly quantified and large, whole
peppercorns instead of ground pepper was used. We show that this excessive yet inefficient usage of pepper as ‘garnish’
is a form of conspicuous consumption. We argue this may be a response to normal, efficient pepper use, becoming too
commonplace and not distinctive enough for elites. We also explore the price difference between the different types of
pepper the Romans consumed. We explain these differences from the perspective of production cost through assessing
traditional production processes and agronomic statistics.
Possible research topics to address:
- What food types are ‘invisible’ in the environmental record, and what can we do to address this?
- Dictated changes in crop cultivation in regions under foreign occupation
- The effect of famine on the choices of crop cultivation
- Reconstructed food distribution routes
- Trends in food and medicine
- The assimilation of “new” or “exotic” foods in periods with large migrations
- Town and rural hinterland relationships
- The influence of the “culinary revolution”, the import of overseas products in the 17th and 18th century, on the European city diet.
- The industrial revolution and its impact on the nature of food production.
Practical information:
The organization welcomes papers in English. Candidates are invited to submit a title and abstract of 300 words maximum before February 15th 2016. The abstract, accompanied by the affiliation and address data of the candidate, can be uploaded via the registration system for papers/posters at the conference website: http://eaavilnius2016.lt/.
Candidates will be informed regarding the acceptance of their proposals by the 15th of March.
Session organizers:
Dr. Julian Wiethold, Institute national de recherches archéologiques preventives (Inrap), Direction interrégionale Grand Est nord, Laboratoire archéobotaniques, 12, rue de Méric, F-57063 Metz cedex 2,
[email protected]
Merit Hondelink, MA, Archeodienst Noord bv, Osloweg 95, 9723 BK Groningen
[email protected]
Don O’Meara, Durham University, Dawson Building, Department of Archaeology, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE
[email protected]
Op koude winterdagen wordt in Nederland stamppot gegeten, een éénpansgerecht van aardappelen, boerenkool, zuurkool, andijvie of wortels en uien dat wordt opgediend met (rook)worst of een lapje vlees en jus. Lange tijd, tot in de twintigste eeuw, werden dergelijke gerechten echter bereid tijdens de oogstmaanden, wanneer arbeiders lange dagen maakten op het land en veel energie nodig hadden om het zware werk te kunnen verrichten.
De beroemdste melding van hutspot betreft de inhoud van een ketel die door de Spanjaarden in de nacht van 2 op 3 oktober 1574 op de Lammenschans werd achtergelaten. De inhoud van deze ketel werd door de Leidenaren hutspot genoemd en bevatte, volgens de overlevering, waarschijnlijk wortelen, pastinaak, uien en vlees.
De vraag dringt zich op of hutspot door de Spanjaarden, die de aardappel introduceerden, is gecreëerd of dat het gerecht al eerder bestond. En in hoeverre is dit historische gerecht verwant aan onze hedendaagse hutspot, aangezien de aardappel pas in de loop van de achttiende eeuw een stapelvoedsel werd. Wat vormde bijna vijf eeuwen geleden dan de basis van dit gerecht en welke veranderingen heeft hutspot ondergaan om tot zijn huidige samenstelling te komen? Diverse historische recepten en meldingen uit de Middeleeuwen en de Vroegmoderne tijd bieden een kijkje in de keuken en schijnen een licht op de geschiedenis van de “Nederlandse” hutspot.
Houtskoolbijdrage door M. Hondelink & O. Brinkkemper
(Studenten verslag)
De Hoorneboegse Heide is een aansprekend voorbeeld van een gelaagd landschap. Overblijfselen uit het verre en minder verre verleden zijn daar te ervaren: prehistorische grafheuvels, een raatakkercomplex, bundels karrensporen en een opgevulde antitankgracht uit de Tweede Wereldoorlog. Het is een lange en gevarieerde geschiedenis die de moeite van het vertellen waard is.
No city without public works. In order to create a functioning and thriving city, its people will inevitably need to invest in communal architectural projects such as infrastructure, open facilities, public spaces and public buildings. However, such buildings did not solely have a utilitarian function. From aqueduct to amphitheatre and from park to public toilet: public works play an important social, political and economic role. At the same time their architecture offers a place for elites to showcase their wealth and power through ostentation.
This symposium explores the variety of functions public works have had and the diverse roles they have played within ancient Mediterranean societies. In addition, to bridge past and present, we want to reflect on how these public works of the past continue to play important roles in present-day societies.