Romans, Rubbish, and Refuse
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Romans, Rubbish, and Refuse

The archaeobotanical assemblage of Regione VI, insula I, Pompeii

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Romans, Rubbish, and Refuse

The archaeobotanical assemblage of Regione VI, insula I, Pompeii

About this book

Although world-renowned, Pompeii, the first Roman site to be excavated and one of the most visited and best-studied archaeological sites in the world, still has unanswered questions to yield, especially in terms of its long-term development from pre-Roman times. The extensive excavations (1995–2006) by the Anglo-American Project in Pompeii (AAPP) has provided a rare insight into chronological change within the city of Pompeii. This research was significant as an insula block within the city of Pompeii had never previously been excavated in its entirety. The analysis of all the recovered seeds, fruits and cereal remains has provided a unique research opportunity to undertake a diachronic study of urban Roman plant food consumption and discards. Over the past two centuries of excavations at Pompeii only a handful of published works dealing with botanical evidence have been published. The results from this study demonstrate a standard Mediterranean archaeobotanical assemblage recovered from Insula VI.1 which included wheat, barley, legumes, olives, grapes and figs. A wider diversity of fruits, pulses, and additional cereals, especially broomcorn millet were also found. These results support the established view that Pompeii was a fully urbanised city in the 1st century B.C.

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Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright Page
  4. Dedication
  5. Contents
  6. List of Figures
  7. List of Tables
  8. Acknowledgements
  9. Glossary
  10. Introduction
  11. Chapter 1
  12.  Figure 1: Pompeii and the surrounding region (AAPP 2005 Resource Book, p. 37)
  13. Historical Background
  14. Chapter 2
  15. Table 1: Results of Amphorae Study from the House of the Vestals (VI.I.7) (De Sena and Ikäheimo 2003)
  16. Figure 2: Photomosaic of Insula VI.I from the Via Consolare
  17. Figure 3: Map of the city of Pompeii (AAPP 2005 Resource Book, p. 39)
  18. Figure 4: Insula VI.I (AAPP 2005 Resource Book p. 26)
  19. Figure 5: House of the Vestals (VI.I.vii) frontage (Photomosaic © 2007 Jennifer F. Stephens ∙ Arthur E. Stephens)
  20. Figure 6: Map of excavation of Pompeii (AAPP 2005 Resource Book, p. 40)
  21. Figure 7: The southern end of Insula VI.I, including from left to right the Soap Factory (Fabbrica del Sapone), the Bar of Acisculus (Taberna di Acisculus), the Bar of Phoebus (Taberna di Phoebus) and the well/fountain (Photomosaic © 2007 Jennifer F. Ste
  22. Figure 8: House of the Surgeon (VI.I.x) frontage
  23. Figure 9: House of the Surgeon (VI.I.x) (AAPP 2005 Resource Book, p. 27)
  24. Figure 10: House of the Surgeon (VI.I.x) entranceway with view into the hortus (photo by author 2007)
  25. Figure 11: Timeline for Regione VI, insula I
  26. Chapter 3
  27. Methodology
  28. Figure 12: Total volume of residue (L) examined per property from Insula VI.I
  29. Figure 13: Number of samples examined from different properties within Insula VI.I
  30. Figure 14: Number of Samples examined per property type
  31. Figure 15: Mineralised Malus domestica (Apple) seed from Insula VI.I
  32. Table 2: Number of samples examined from properties within Insula VI.I
  33. Figure 16: a. Carbonised Vitis vinifera (Grape) pips and b. Mineralised Vitis vinifera (Grape) pips (both dorsal view) from Insula VI.I
  34. Figure 17: a. and b. Carbonised Vitis vinifera (Grape) pips and c. Mineralised Vitis vinifera (Grape) pip (all ventral views) from Insula VI.I
  35. Figure 18: SEM of carbonised Vitis vinifera (Grape) pip from Insula VI.I
  36. Figure 19: a. Carbonised half fragment of Vitis vinifera (grape) pip and b. Carbonised grape pip embedded in mesocarp from Insula VI.I (scale in centimetres)
  37. Figure 20: SEM of carbonised Vitis vinifera (grape) petiole from Insula VI.I
  38. Figure 21: Whole carbonised Olea europea (olive) (scale in centimetres) from Insula VI.I (scale in centimetres)
  39. Figure 22: Ficus carica (fig) carbonised mesocarp from Insula VI.I
  40. Figure 23: a. and b: SEMs of carbonised Ficus carica (fig) mesocarp from Insula VI.I
  41. Figure 24 a. and b: Mineralised Ficus carica (fig) from Insula VI.I (scale in centimetres)
  42. Figure 25: SEM of one mineralised Ficus carica (fig) from Insula VI.I
  43. Figure 26: a. Carbonised Pinus pinea (pine nut) shell fragment a. inside view b. outer shell view from Insula VI.I
  44. Figure 27: a. Spikelet fork of T. dicoccum (Emmer) b. Spikelet fork of T. dicoccum (Emmer) from Insula VI.I
  45. Figure 28: a. Hordeum vulgare (Barley) (dorsal view) and b. Hordeum vulgare (Barley) (ventral view) from Insula VI.I
  46. Figure 29: SEM of carbonised Hordeum vulgare (Barley) (dorsal view) from Insula VI.I
  47. Figure 30: Badly damaged carbonised Triticum sp. from Insula VI.I
  48. Figure 31: a. Carbonised Panicum b. Carbonised Setaria both from Insula VI.I (scale in millimetres)
  49. Figure 32: Carbonised Vicia sp. from Insula VI.I (scale in centimetres)
  50. Figure 33: a. Carbonised Vicia sativa and b. Vicia faba from Insula VI.I
  51. Figure 35: Number of contexts examined by time period shown by property from Insula VI.I
  52. Chapter 4
  53. Figure 34: Total number of contexts examined grouped by time period
  54. Figure 36: Total count of archaeobotanical remains (carbonised and mineralised remains) per property from Insula VI.I
  55. Figure 37: Percentage of total count of archaeobotanical remains recovered from Insula VI.I by property
  56. Figure 38: Total number of taxa (carbonised and mineralised) per property from Insula VI.I
  57. Results
  58. Figure 39: Number of mineralised and carbonised taxa from published sources on Vesuvian sites including data from Ciaraldi (2001) PhD thesis; Matterne and Derreumaux 2008; Robinson 2002
  59. Figure 40: Total number of archaeobotanical (carbonised and mineralised) remains per context examined by property from Insula VI.I
  60. Figure 41: Total volume of residue examined plotted alongside total count of archaeobotanical (carbonised and mineralised) remains per property from Insula VI.I
  61. Figure 42: Archaeobotanical remains (carbonised and mineralised) recovered per L of residue examined per property from Insula VI.I
  62. Figure 46: Total count of charred botanical remains per property from Insula VI.I by time period
  63. Figure 43: Percentage of archaeobotanical remains recovered from Insula VI.I by preservation
  64. Figure 44: Total count of charred botanical remains per property from Insula VI.I
  65. Figure 45: Total count of carbonised archaeobotanical remains per property from Insula VI.I
  66. Figure 47: Total count of carbonised botanical remains and total volume of residue examined per property from Insula VI.I
  67. Figure 48: Charred botanical remains per L of residue examined per property from Insula VI.I
  68. Figure 49: Number of carbonised taxa per property from Insula VI.I
  69. Figure 50: Histogram of carbonised taxa from Insula VI.I
  70. Figure 51: Number of carbonised taxa from Vesuvian Sites (additional data from Ciaraldi (2001) PhD thesis)
  71. Figure 53: Carbonised archaeobotanical remains per context examined per property from Insula VI.I
  72. Figure 54: Histogram of recovered carbonised botanical remains per context from Insula VI.I
  73. Figure 55: Total count of mineralised archaeobotanical remains per property from Insula VI.I
  74. Figure 56: Total count of mineralised archaeobotanical remains by property from Insula VI.I
  75. Figure 57: Total count of mineralised botanical remains recovered per property from Insula VI.I by time period
  76. Figure 52: Histogram of carbonised taxa from Vesuvian sites (additional data from Ciaraldi (2001) PhD thesis)
  77. Figure 58: Total count of mineralised botanical remains recovered and total volume of residue examined per property from Insula VI.I
  78. Figure 59: Mineralised botanical remains recovered per L of residue examined per property from Insula VI.I
  79. Figure 60: Number of mineralised taxa per property from Insula VI.I
  80. Figure 61: Histogram of mineralised taxa from Insula VI.I
  81. Figure 62: Number of mineralised taxa from Vesuvian sites (additional data from Ciaraldi (2001) PhD thesis)
  82. Figure 63: Histogram of mineralised archaeobotanical remains from published sources on Vesuvian sites (additional data from Ciaraldi (2001) PhD thesis)
  83. Figure 64: Mineralised botanical remains per context per property from Insula VI.I
  84. Figure 65: Histogram of recovered mineralised botanical remains per context from Insula VI.I
  85. Figure 66: Total volume (L) of residue examined per property from Insula VI.I
  86. Figure 67: Total residue volume (L) per property from Insula VI.I
  87. Figure 68: Breakdown of Residue Volume (L) by time period
  88. Figure 69: Percentage of total carbonised archaeobotanical unknowns/indeterminates from Insula VI.I by time period
  89. Figure 70: Count of carbonised indeterminates/unknowns by property and time period from Insula VI.I
  90. Figure 71: Percent of carbonised archaeobotanical remains per property from Insula VI.I that were unknown/indeterminate
  91. Figure 72: Percent of total count of mineralised unknowns/indeterminates from Insula VI.I
  92. Figure 73: Total count of mineralised indeterminate by property by time period from Insula VI.I
  93. Figure 74: Percentage of unknown mineralised remains per property from Insula VI.I
  94. Figure 75: Total count of carbonised and mineralised unknowns from Insula VI.I by time period
  95. Figure 76: Excavation areas for the House of the Surgeon (VI.I.x) (AAPP05 Resource Handbook p. 27)
  96. Table 3: Summary of results from Insula VI.I by property by time period
  97. Figure 77: 1st century BC archaeobotanical remains from the House of the Surgeon (VI.I.x) (remains carbonised unless stated otherwise)
  98. Figure 78: Count of archaeobotanical remains from the House of the Surgeon (VI.I.x) by category from the 1st century BC
  99. Figure 79: Histogram of count of archaeobotanical remains from the 1st century BC from the House of Surgeon (VI.I.x)
  100. Figure 80: Count of archaeobotanical remains from the House of the Surgeon (VI.I.x) from the 1st century AD
  101. Fig 81: House of the Surgeon (VI.I.x) areas where no archaeobotanical remains were recovered and areas not excavated (AAPP05 Resource Book p. 30)
  102. Figure 82: Ubiquity of archaeobotanical remains from House of the Surgeon (VI.I.x) from flotation
  103. Figure 83: shows the distribution of the total count of archaeobotanical (carbonised and mineralised) remains per room.
  104. Figure 84: Excavation areas for the House of the Vestals (VI.I.vii) (AAPP05 Resource Handbook p. 27)
  105. Figure 85: House of the Vestals (VI.I.vii) Room numbers (AAPP05 Resources Handbook p. 32)
  106. Figure 87: 1st century BC histogram of archaeobotanical remains from the House of Vestals (VI.I.vii)
  107. Figure 86: 1st century BC archaeobotanical remains from the House of the Vestals (VI.I.vii)
  108. Figure 88: Total count of archaeobotanical remains (mineralised and carbonised) recovered dating from the 1st century AD from the House of the Vestals (VI.I.vii)
  109. Figure 89: 1st century AD histogram of archaeobotanical remains from the House of the Vestals (VI.I.vii).
  110. Figure 90: Excavation areas from the Shrine (VI.I.xiii) (AAPP05 Resource Handbook p. 27)
  111. Figure 91: Archaeobotanical remains recovered from the Shrine (VI.I.xiii) from the 1st century BC or earlier (remains carbonised unless stated otherwise)
  112. Figure 92: Histogram of archaeobotanical remains from the Shrine (VI.I.xiii) from the 1st century BC or earlier
  113. Figure 93: 1st century AD archaeobotanical remains from the Shrine (VI.I.xiii) (remains carbonised unless stated otherwise)
  114. Figure 94: Histogram of archaeobotanical remains recovered from the Shrine (VI.I.xiii) from the 1st century AD.
  115. Figure 95: Excavation areas from the Soap Factory (VI.I.xiv) (AAPP05 Resource Handbook p. 27)
  116. Figure 96: Archaeobotanical remains from 1st century BC from the Soap Factory (VI.I.xiv) (remains carbonised unless stated otherwise)
  117. Figure 97: Histogram of 1st century BC archaeobotanical remains from the Soap Factory (VI.I.xiv)
  118. Figure 98: Archaeobotanical remains from 1st century AD from the Soap Factory (VI.I.xiv) (remains carbonised unless stated otherwise)
  119. Figure 99: Histogram of count of archaeobotanical remains from the Soap Factory (VI.I.xiv) from the 1st century AD
  120. Figure 100: Excavation areas from the Triclinium located within the Inn (AAPP05 Resource Handbook p. 27)
  121. Figure 101: Archaeobotanical remains recovered from the Triclinium by preservation and general category from Insula VI.I
  122. Figure 102: Carbonised archaeobotanical remains from the Triclinium from Insula VI.I (archaeobotanical remains carbonised unless stated otherwise)
  123. Figure 103: Excavation areas from Via Consolare
  124. Figure 104: Archaeobotanical remains from 1st century BC from Via Consolare (remains carbonised unless stated otherwise)
  125. Figure 105: Archaeobotanical remains from 1st century AD from Via Consolare (remains carbonised unless stated otherwise)
  126. Figure 107: 1st century BC archaeobotanical remains from Vicolo di Narciso (remains carbonised unless stated otherwise)
  127. Figure 106: Excavation areas from Vicolo di Narciso (AAPP05 Resource Handbook p. 27)
  128. Figure 108: 1st century AD count of archaeobotanical remains from Vicolo di Narciso (remains carbonised unless stated otherwise)
  129. Figure 109: Excavation areas from the Well
  130. Figure 110: 1st century BC archaeobotanical remains from the Well from Insula VI.I (remains carbonised unless stated otherwise)
  131. Figure 111: Histogram of count of archaeobotanical remains from the Well from the 1st century BC
  132. Figure 112: 1st century AD archaeobotanical remains from the Well from Insula VI.I (remains carbonised unless stated otherwise)
  133. Figure 113: Mineralised Agrostemma githago L. (corn cockle) from Insula VI.I (not from the latrine deposit)
  134. Figure 114: Total count of mineralised botanical remains recovered from the late 1st century BC toilet from the House of the Vestals (VI.I.vii) (data from Ciaraldi 2001)
  135. Figure 115: Mineralised lentil recovered from Insula VI.I
  136. Figure 116: Total number of mineralised and carbonised taxa from the House of the Vestals (VI.I.vii) (Ciaraldi 2001 data)
  137. Figure 117: Archaeobotanical material recovered from Vicolo di Narciso from the 1st century BC
  138. Figure 118: Archaeobotanical material by category recovered from Vicolo di Narciso from the 1st century AD
  139. Figure 119: Mineralised Remains from the 1st century AD from Vicolo di Narciso
  140. Figure 120: Carbonised Ornithopus perpusillus/sativus seed from Insula VI.I
  141. Figure 121: Count of mineralised taxa from the House of the Vestals (VI.I.vii) (additional data from Ciaraldi (2001) PhD thesis)
  142. Figure 122: Count of Mineralised Remains of Fruits and Nuts from the House of the Vestals (VI.I.vii) (additional data from Ciaraldi (2001) PhD thesis)
  143. Figure 123: Mineralised taxa from specific contexts within the House of the Vestals (VI.I.vii) (additional data from Ciaraldi (2001) PhD thesis)
  144. Figure 124: Mineralised weed seeds from specific deposits from the House of the Vestals (VI.I.vii) (additional data from Ciaraldi (2001) PhD thesis)
  145. Figure 125: Carbonised taxa from the House of the Vestals (VI.I.vii)
  146. Figure 126: Carbonised taxa from specific deposits within the House of the Vestals (VI.I.vii) (additional data from Ciaraldi (2001) PhD thesis)
  147. Figure 127: Count of carbonised taxa recovered from the House of the Vestals (VI.I.vii) (additional data from Ciaraldi 2001 PhD thesis)
  148. Figure 128: Carbonised botanical remains per L from specific contexts from the House of the Vestals (VI.I.vii) (additional data from Ciaraldi (2001) PhD thesis)
  149. Table 4: Presence and Absence table for Roads from Insula VI.I
  150. Table 5: Presence and Absence table for Domestic properties within Insula VI.I
  151. Table 6: Presence and Absence table for Commercial properties within Insula VI.I
  152. Table 7: Presence and Absence table for Ritual contexts from Insula
  153. Chapter 5
  154. Comparison of Archaeological Evidence
  155. Chapter 6
  156. Food and Roman Culture
  157. Table 8: Insula VI.I Presence and Absence
  158. Table 9: Pompeii sites Presence and Absence
  159. Table 10: Pompeii sites continued Presence and Absence
  160. Figure 129: Count of T. dicoccum from Insula VI.I
  161. Figure 130: Count of Hordeum from Insula VI.I
  162. Figure 131: Count of T.aestivum/T.durum from Insula VI.I
  163. Figure 132: Count of Triticum sp. from Insula VI.I
  164. Figure 133: Total count of Millet from Insula VI.I
  165. Figure 134: Total count of Millet from Insula VI.I by time period
  166. Figure 136: Percentage of Millet from Insula VI.I by century
  167. Figure135: Total count of Millet per property from Insula VI.I
  168. Figure 137: Total count of Millet per Property from Insula VI.I
  169. Chapter 7
  170. Discussion: Rubbish, Floors and Food
  171. Table 11: Via Consolare
  172. Figure 138: Commercial triangle, composed of from left to right the Soap Factory/Metal Workshop, the Bar of Acisculus, the Bar of Pheobus, the Well and fountain (Photomosaic @ 2007 Jennifer F. Stephens ∙ Arthur E. Stephens)
  173. Figure 139: Bar of Pheobus (Photomosaic @ 2007 Jennifer F. Stephens ∙ Arthur E. Stephens)
  174. Figure 140: Bar of Acisculus (Photomosaic @ 2007 Jennifer F. Stephens ∙ Arthur E. Stephens)
  175. Table 12: Vicolo di Narciso
  176. Table 13: Bar of Pheobus (VI.I.xviii)
  177. Figure 141: Soap Factory/Metal workshop (Photomosaic @ 2007 Jennifer F. Stephens ∙ Arthur E. Stephens)
  178. Table 14: Bar of Acisculus (VI.I.xvii)
  179. Table 15: Soap Factory (VI.I.xiv)
  180. Figure 142: North end of Insula VI.I (Photomosaic @ 2007 Jennifer F. Stephens ∙ Arthur E. Stephens)
  181. Figure 143: Inn (Photomosaic @ 2007 Jennifer F. Stephens ∙ Arthur E. Stephens)
  182. Table 16: Triclinium
  183. Table 17: Inn Presence and Absence
  184. Figure 144: Inn Bar (Photomosaic @ 2007 Jennifer F. Stephens ∙ Arthur E. Stephens)
  185. Figure 145 House of the Vestals (Photomosaic @ 2007 Jennifer F. Stephens ∙ Arthur E. Stephens)
  186. Table 18: Inn bar Presence and Absence
  187. Figure 146: Vestals Bar (Photomosaic @ 2007 Jennifer F. Stephens ∙ Arthur E. Stephens)
  188. Table 19: House of the Vestals (VI.I.vii)
  189. Table 20: Vestals Bar
  190. Figure 147: House of the Surgeon (Photomosaic @ 2007 Jennifer F. Stephens ∙ Arthur E. Stephens)
  191. Figure 148: Shrine (Photomosaic @ 2007 Jennifer F. Stephens ∙ Arthur E. Stephens)
  192. Table 21: House of the Surgeon
  193. Table 22: Shrine (VI.I.xiii)
  194. Table 23: Well
  195. Table 24: Presence and Absence of common taxa from properties within Insula VI.I
  196. Figure 150: House of the Vestals (VI.I.vii) presence of mosaic floors (image after Veal 2009)
  197. Table 26: Presence of spikelet forks from Insula VI.I
  198. Chapter 8
  199. Conclusions
  200. Bibilography