Unlocking The Potential Of Ceramic Residue Analysis To Explore Islamic Cuisine In Medieval Spain

Summary

This is an abstract from the session entitled "Islamic material culture", at the 2023 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

The multifaith society of Medieval Spain experienced dramatic transitions between periods of Christian and Muslim political rule with shifting geographical frontiers. The coexistence of multiple faiths within this dynamic socio-political landscape influenced the practices of daily life such as cuisine. Diet and identity are inextricably linked. Understanding the ways in which foods were selected, combined and prepared by past populations can provide an intimate window into everyday life.

Analysis of organic residues (ORA) associated with archaeological ceramics yields direct chemical evidence of their contents. A recent study of Islamic domestic containers from 9th-12th century Sicily (Lundy et al. 2021) revealed new insights into the availability and use of resources by different socio-economic groups under the same political regime, particularly between urban and rural contexts. Drawing on the results from Sicily, we explore the potential of ORA for exploring Islamic cuisine in Medieval Spain, highlighting potential fruitful avenues for investigation.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Islamic material culture   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2023

Keywords

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Nicole Haddow