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High class medieval foods12/11/2023 ![]() ![]() Ponds were first a symbol of royal status, later also becoming features of aristocratic manors and ecclesiastic sites (Locker 2018, 47). ![]() More investments were also devoted towards the construction of private ponds connected with high status estates. This increasing regulation of freshwater aquatic sources and the exclusivity of fishing rights dramatically diminished the accessibility to freshwater food, and consequently increased the value of the freshwater catch (Dyer 1994). These changes were aimed at enhancing the visibility and power of the new Norman aristocracy. One of the historical phenomena connected with the arrival of the Normans in 1066 AD was the rise of land privatisation, incorporated into estates, and the growth of private fisheries (Sykes 2007). 2004a).ĭespite the high number of freshwater resources in England, access to this type of fish was not equal for all social classes. AD increased the levels of water pollution (and the consequent shrinkage of the freshwater ecosystem) but also the demand for fish this demand was no longer supported by freshwater supplies (Barrett et al. ![]() The movement and concentration of people in towns during the 10th c. There are exceptions to this trend, namely eel ( Anguilla anguilla), which, because of its excellent physiological adaptability to different environments, was not dramatically affected by such modifications (Hoffman 2008). In medieval England, climatic fluctuations, pollution and overexploitation of the freshwater habitat caused modifications of the aquatic ecosystem and a consequent reduction of some species’ frequency and size (Hoffman 2008). In this setting, freshwater fish can become a useful means in order to emphasise these power plays within medieval society, thanks to its heterogeneous role as luxury and peasant foods (Dyer 1994, 108). During special occasions, such as religious festivities and political meetings, wealthy hosts would have offered luxurious and opulent banquets, underlining social distinctions and strengthening alliances however, occasionally, the middle class would have also tried to mimic the upper class, stretching the family resources for a special meal, which would not be representative of the wealth of the household (Ashby 2002). ![]() In medieval times, everyday eating and drinking followed the seasonal harvests, the dictates of the Church and the medical science of that time day-to-day consumption marked the social gap between rich and poor consumers, both in terms of quality and quantity of food consumed (Van der Veen 2003, 415). These implications of fish consumption were perhaps even stronger in medieval societies, where meals at high status tables were impregnated with religious symbolism, rituals and glorification of personal wealth (Klemettilӓ 2012, 8–14). 2003 Grau Sologestoa 2017).įish-based meals, in particular, tend to be related to cultural identities and socio-economic status because they often depend on the wealth and religious beliefs of the consumer, even today. Crabtree 1990 Thomas 1999 Ashby 2002 Ervynck et al. Part of zooarchaeological research is also devoted to establishing criteria to identify luxury food, to be used as markers of status (e.g. In zooarchaeology, diet is perhaps one of the most widely discussed topics, contextualising meals of past populations within a type of society, religion or social rank, conferring to food the value of material culture. Many authors describe how typology, variety and quantity of food consumed helped define sociocultural identities in past and present societies (e.g. ![]()
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