#A2ZChallenge #J is for Jugs

J is for Jugs

Theme: Ancient Roman Scotland during the Flavian era

Jugs...cooking utensils, serving dishes and other things! 

There is a wealth of findings from some of the forts inhabited by the Ancient Romans during the Flavian invasion of Scotland. Many of the artefacts in my images in this post came from Newstead Roman Fort, Melrose (Trimontium); others are from central and southern Scotland forts. Some photographs were taken in the National Museum of Scotland and others at the Trimontium Museum, Melrose. 

Nancy Jardine- National Museum of Scotland

The officers expected a reasonably high standard of service at meal times. Their food would have been prepared by a cook who might have been an immunis (specialist non-combat soldier); freedman; or a slave. Red Samian ware would probably have been used to present the food, the meal eaten from a metal plate (possibly silver though no contemporary silver plate was found at Newstead), or a pottery or wooden plate or bowl. 

The impressive copper-alloy wine jug in the photo above is similar to jugs found at Pompeii. The example above found at Newstead has a 'Bacchus' style mask at the handle base, the handle terminates with water birds at the top and there is a fine 'leafy frieze' around the jug at the separation of the neck and body. The quality wine it would have contained would have been imported, probably from the Mediterranean. To the left of the jug in the photo is a strainer and below an enamelled bronze pan. The wine was sometimes warmed in the pan with spices and then strained as it went into the jug. Generally the wine served to officers would have been undiluted 'best' wine, though sometimes poorer wine was served diluted with vinegar. 

The vinegared wine would have been the norm for the rank and file soldier. 

Finds from Central and Southern Scotland forts(not all Flavian era)
Nancy Jardine- National Museum of Scotland

Nancy Jardine- National Museum of Scotland

Nancy Jardine

The jugs used by the ranks were much simpler of iron or pottery. Pottery jugs were no doubt more fragile, though this one above managed to last for almost 2000 years, in pieces, though not too many!

iron mess can
 Nancy Jardine- National Museum of Scotland

Rank and file soldiers cooked and ate within their contubernium group of 8 men, probably each taking a turn. This may have been tough on the ones who were on duty since the food was very basic - though relatively healthy for the era. Food cooked and left to warm for a long time may have seemed less palatable- hard lumpy porridge comes to mind.

The iron griddle underneath the mess can in the photo was serviceable and would have withstood the weight of many cooking pots. This size of iron mess can would probably have been considered a  perfect size when cooking for 8 men. 

I'll be looking at diet in another post but it's appropriate to say here that at an established fort like Newstead (Trimontium) the food eaten would not necessarily all have come from the stocks that were stored and shared around the forts and temporary camps across the empire.

The men stationed at Newstead were there long enough to have farmed for themselves, as well as probably requisitioning stocks from the locals, which seemed to be common practice around the empire.

The farming tools used by the locals would have also been of iron but it appears that the soldiers of the Roman army brought their own favourites. In that way, the Roman army was self-sufficient when it needed to be. 

We have evidence of sickles and scythes from Newstead. These were Roman in design, but although much more practical than those that the local Iron-Age Celts used the Roman style was not adopted by the locals and the syckle style went out of use after the Romans left. It was many, many centuries later that a similar style became the norm in Lowland Scottish farms.The hoe was a practical tool for keeping small vegetable beds weed free. It's thought that at forts like Newstead there would have been small areas of intensely farmed vegetable beds. 

We have examples of Roman tools for looking after animals- e.g.cattle prods. Rake and pitchfork was used for collecting fodder for the horses, of which there were manys since Newstead was an equestrian fort. There are remnants of whetstones for the all important sharpening of the blades which would have been prone to rusting quite quickly. 

Nancy Jardine- National Museum of Scotland

The Samian ware in the photo above shows that although many pieces were very functional  many pieces were also highly decorative. 

The setting shown here is a reconstruction at the Trimontium Museum, Melrose. It's a neat little display in a reconstructed kitchen and gives a really nice image of what the better off soldier (officer) might have encountered every day. 

It's research like this which helps me when I'm in new writing mode, gives me an impression of what a scene might include. In my latest writing (Book 5 of my Historical saga) Beathan has been captured by the Romans and is presently being used as a general fort slave at Trimontium, till the fort tribune learns what to do with him! There are scenes where Beathan is labouring for the soldier who cooks for the fort commander!

Enjoy the photos!

Keep checking in to this blog since there will be another #A2ZChallenge post tomorrow... 

Slainthe