Pepper, pig and fewer bodily emissions – how the Norman Conquest changed England’s eating habits

 

When we think about the archaeology of the Norman conquest it is usually castles, battlefields and cathedrals that spring to mind. But what can archaeology tell us about the impact on everyday life? Slot Judi Online

Food is central to all of our lives and the foods that we eat and the dishes that we prepare are closely related to both our economy and culture. By studying how food consumption changes in the 11th century, therefore, we might be able to better understand the long-term implications of the conquest on everyday life.

Archaeological research undertaken by Naomi Sykes a decade ago provided the first clues that food culture may have been changed by the Norman Conquest. Through studying the animal bones discarded on pre and post-conquest sites, she observed an increase in the consumption of pig, chicken and wild animals. These changes were most pronounced on elite sites, such as castles, and suggest that the incoming Norman aristocracy brought new tastes with them, mirroring consumption at similar sites in Normandy. Agen Slot Terpercaya

These changes in meat consumption might be associated with the development of a distinctive Anglo-Norman elite culture as influences from England and France mixed, and studies of architecture suggest that ideas moved in both directions across the channel. The zone of Norman influence extended into Italy and the island of Sicily and it is these links that might be reflected in the consumption of condiments which were not prevalent in Anglo-Saxon England, particularly black pepper. Analysis by archaeobotanist Alexandra Livarda shows that these changes, like the changes in meat consumption, are most closely associated with towns, particularly large ports such as London, and elite sites.

The flavours of conquest

The archaeological evidence therefore suggests the emergence of an elite food culture in which different meats were being cooked and prepared with new flavourings. A 12th-century text, the Urbanus Magnus, provides some insights into how these foodstuffs were combined, suggesting specific flavour combinations such as serving fish with pepper, perhaps to elevate a humble foodstuff associated with pious fasting to a meal worthy of the elite table, and matching beef and pork with garlic and wildfowl with a cumin sauce.