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6. Culinary Archaeology: Recreating Roman Bread
Farrell Monaco’s Experiments
Culinary archaeologist Farrell Monaco reverse-engineered Panis Quadratus using ancient techniques:
- Sourdough Starter: Wild yeast from grape must.
- Oven Replicas: Terracotta ovens heated with olive wood.
- Taste: Nutty, with herbal notes from fennel and poppy seeds.
Challenges in Replication
- Grain Varieties: Today’s wheat doesn’t have as much protein as the Roman variety known as Triticum aestivum.
- Baking Tools: Replicating Roman peel shovels and ash management.
Recipes for Modern Bakers
Monaco’s work inspired chefs worldwide to recreate this ancient bread, bridging 2,000 years of culinary history.
7. Daily Life in Pompeii: Lessons from the Bakery
The Roman Diet
Bread was a dietary staple, with adults consuming up to 1 kg daily. The poor ate coarse panis plebeius, while elites enjoyed enriched loaves like Panis Quadratus.
Bakeries as Social Hubs
Pompeii had over 30 bakeries that also served as neighborhood hangouts, where people came to chat and share the latest news.
Slavery and Labor
- Enslaved Workers: Ground grain in volcanic-stone mills, often shackled to prevent theft.
- Freedmen: Some rose to manage bakeries, like the tomb-inscribed Marcus Virgilius Eurysaces in Rome.
8. The Legacy of Pompeii’s Bread in Modern Culture
Museums and Exhibitions
The preserved loaves are displayed at Naples’ National Archaeological Museum, drawing millions of visitors annually.
Symbol of Resilience
The bread represents both human creativity and life’s fragility, reflecting themes often found in literature and art.
Ethical Debates in Archaeology
- Human Remains: Debates over displaying plaster casts of Vesuvius’s victims.
- Artifact Repatriation: Claims over Pompeian artifacts in foreign museums.
