Romans, Rubbish, and Refuse

Romans, Rubbish, and Refuse The archaeobotanical assemblage of Regione VI, insula I, Pompeii Charlene Alexandria Murphy Archaeopress Roman Archaeology 8

Archaeopress Publishing Gordon House 276 Banbury Road Oxford OX2 7ED www.archaeopress.com ISBN 978 1 78491 115 7 ISBN 978 1 78491 116 4 (e-pdf) Archaeopress and C A Murphy 2015 Cover image: Photomosaic of Insula VI.I from the Via Consolare (Photomosaic 2007 Jennifer F. Stephens Arthur E. Stephens) All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright owners. Printed in England by Holywell Press, Oxford This book is available direct from Archaeopress or from our website www.archaeopress.com

Contents List of Figures... v List of Tables... viii Acknowledgements... ix Glossary... xi Chapter 1: Introduction... 1 1.1 Pompeii: historical background... 1 1.2 Pompeii: a case study in urban archaeobotany... 3 1.3 Research aims and objectives... 3 1.4 Research questions... 3 1.5 Status, ethnicity and Romanisation... 3 1.6 City and hinterland... 4 1.7 Pompeii as a type site and economic models... 4 1.8 Situate environmental data... 5 1.9 Domestic space... 5 Chapter 2: Historical Background... 6 2.1 Introduction to the Mediterranean Environment... 6 2.2 Palynological evidence... 6 2.3 The modern environment... 7 2.4 Historical overview of the city of Pompeii... 8 2.5 Roman literary sources... 10 2.6 Ancient literary biases... 10 2.7 Viticulture and villas... 11 2.8 Latifundia... 11 2.9 The hinterland... 12 2.10 Economy... 13 2.11 Ceramic evidence from Pompeii... 13 2.12 Regione VI, Insula I: brief historical overview... 15 2.13 The House of the Vestals (Casa delle Vestali) (VI.IVII)... 17 2.14 The House of the Surgeon (Casa del Chirurgo) (VI.I.x)... 21 Chapter 3: Methodology... 25 3.1 Research methods... 25 3.2 Recovery methods... 25 3.3 Sampling... 26 3.4 Distribution of sample number by type... 26 3.5 Identification... 27 3.6 Quantification... 27 3.7 Fruit... 27 Grape... 28 Olives... 28 Fig... 29 Nutshells... 29 3.8 Cereals... 29 3.9 Millet... 30 3.10 Pulses... 30 3.11 Limitations of the data... 31 Taphonomy... 31 Modern taphonomic factors... 31 3.12 Historical factors... 32 3.13 Current research... 33 3.14 The field school... 33 3.15 Contexts... 33 3.16 Preservation... 34 i

Carbonisation... 34 Mineralisation... 34 Chapter 4: Results... 37 4.1 Contexts examined from Insula VI.I... 37 4.2 Contexts by time period... 37 4.3 Total archaeobotanical remains... 37 4.4 Preservation... 39 4.5 Carbonised archaeobotanical remains from Insula VI.I... 39 4.6 Mineralised archaeobotanical remains from Insula VI.I... 42 4.7 Residue volume... 44 4.8 Unknowns/indeterminate archaeobotanical material from Insula VI.I... 45 Carbonised unknowns/indeterminate archaeobotanical material from Insula VI.I... 45 Mineralised unknowns/indeterminate archaeobotanical material from Insula VI.I... 46 4.9 Recovery method flot/residue/in situ/dry sieved... 47 House of the Surgeon (VI.I.x) (Casa della Chiurugo)... 48 House of the Surgeon (VI.I.x) 1st century BC... 48 House of the surgeon (VI.I.x) 1st century AD... 48 House of the Vestals (VI.I.vii) (Casa delle vestali)... 50 House of the Vestals (VI.I.vii) 1st century BC... 51 House of the Vestals (VI.I.vii) 1st century AD... 51 Shrine (VI.I.xiii)... 52 Shrine (VI.I.xiii) 1st century BC... 52 Shrine (VI.I.xiii) 1st century AD... 53 Soap factory (VI.I.xiv)... 54 Soap factory 1st century AD... 55 Triclinium... 56 Triclinium 1st century AD... 56 Via Consolare... 57 Via Consolare 1st century BC... 57 Via Consolare 1st century AD... 57 Vicolo di Narciso... 58 Vicolo di Narciso 1st century BC... 58 Vicolo di Narciso 1st century AD... 58 Comparison of archaeobotanical assemblage from roads... 59 Well... 59 Well 1st century BC... 59 Well 1st century AD... 60 4.10 Unique deposits from insula VI.I... 60 Ritual deposit... 60 Latrine... 60 Drain... 61 4.11 Unique deposits from the House of the Vestals (VI.I.vii)... 63 Mineralised archaeobotaanical remains... 63 Carbonised taxa from the House of the Vestals (VI.I.vii)... 64 4.12 Summary... 67 Chapter 5: Comparison of Archaeological Evidence... 69 5.1 Initial observations on plants at Pompeii... 69 5.2 Archaeological research on Pompeii... 69 Earliest evidence from outside of Pompeii... 69 Shops... 69 Bars... 69 Domestic houses within Pompeii... 69 The House of the Vestals (VI.I.vii)... 69 The House of Amarantus (I.IX.xii)... 70 The House of Hercules Wedding (VII.IX.xlvii)... 71 5.3 Villae... 71 Villae rusticae... 71 5.4 Archaeobotanical evidence from outside Pompeii... 72 Herculaneum... 72 ii

Oplontis... 72 5.5 Garden evidence... 72 Garden evidence at Pompeii... 72 Pollen evidence from gardens... 73 Garden evidence from the House of the Vestals (VI.I.vii)... 74 Garden evidence from outside of Campania... 75 Limitations... 75 5.6 Ritual botanical evidence... 75 Pompeii... 75 5.7 Medicinal drugs... 76 5.8 Charcoal analysis from Pompeii... 76 5.9 Trade... 77 5.10 Broad trends in archaeobotanical evidence from the Roman world... 77 Rome... 77 5.11 Summary... 78 Chapter 6 : Food and Roman Culture... 80 6.1 Roman agriculture... 80 6.2 Food, ideology and Roman culture... 80 6.3 Cuisine... 80 6.4 Symbolism... 81 6.5 Cultural identity... 81 Wheats... 82 6.6 Late Republican to Early Imperial Period Dietary shifts in meat preference... 82 6.7 Dietary shifts in cereal preferences... 84 Dining... 85 Luxury... 86 6.8 Historical perspective on food... 87 Cookery... 88 Gardens... 88 Cereals... 90 Einkorn... 90 Emmer... 90 Barley... 91 Free threshing/soft bread wheat... 92 Oats... 92 Millet... 93 6.9 Spices... 94 Opium... 94 Pepper... 94 Sesame... 95 6.10 Fruit... 95 Olive... 95 Olive oil... 97 Grapes... 97 Peaches... 97 Fig... 97 Dates... 98 Pomegranates... 98 Apples... 98 Citron... 98 6.11 Nuts... 99 Hazelnut... 99 Walnut... 99 Almond... 99 6.12 Pules... 100 Peas... 100 Lentils... 100 Chickpeas... 100 Broad bean... 100 iii

Bitter vetch... 101 6.13 Trees... 102 cypress... 102 Stone pine... 102 6.14 Summary... 102 Chapter 7: Discussion: Rubbish, Floors and Food... 104 7.1 Interpretation of reults from Insula VI.I... 104 The roads... 104 Via Consolare... 104 Vicolo di Narciso... 104 Commercial triangle... 105 Bar of Pheobus (VI.I.xviii)... 105 Bar of Acisculus (VI.I.xvii)... 105 Soap Factory/Metal workshop (VI.I.xiv)... 106 North... 107 Triclinium... 107 INN... 107 Inn Bar... 108 Commercial properties... 108 Domestic properties... 108 House of the Vestals (VI.I.vii)... 108 Vestals bar... 109 House of the Surgeon (VI.I.x)... 110 Shrine (VI.I.xiii)... 110 Well...111 7.2 Sampling recovery... 112 7.3 Indeterminates/unknowns... 112 7.4 Disposal... 113 7.5 Household changes... 114 7.6 Changes over time in Insula VI.I... 115 Pre-Roman to Roman... 115 Cereal by-products... 115 Evidence of cereal by-products... 116 Insula VI.I... 116 7.7 Evidence of Urbanisation... 116 7.8 City and country... 117 7.9 Preservation... 117 7.10 Lack of archaeobotanical remains... 118 7.11 Summary... 118 Chapter 8: Conclusions... 119 8.1 Integration of results... 119 8.2 Preservation... 119 8.3 Evidence of urbanisation... 119 8.4 Shifts in food preferences... 120 8.5 Spatial distribution and patterns... 121 8.6 Future research... 121 8.7 Summary... 121 8.8 Final remark... 121 Bibilography... 122 Appendix... 136 iv

List of Figures Figure 1: Pompeii and the surrounding region...1 Figure 2: Photomosaic of Insula VI.I from the Via Consolare...15 Figure 3: Map of the city of Pompeii...15 Figure 4: Insula VI.I (AAPP 2005 Resource Book p. 26)...16 Figure 5: House of the Vestals (VI.I.vii) frontage (Photomosaic 2007 Jennifer F. Stephens Arthur E. Stephens)...17 Figure 6: Map of excavation of Pompeii...17 Figure 7: The southern end of Insula VI.I...19 Figure 8: House of the Surgeon (VI.I.x) frontage...21 Figure 9: House of the Surgeon (VI.I.x)...22 Figure 10: House of the Surgeon (VI.I.x) entranceway with view into the hortus...23 Figure 11: Timeline for Regione VI, insula I...24 Figure 12: Total volume of residue (L) examined per property from Insula VI.I...26 Figure 13: Number of samples examined from different properties within Insula VI.I...27 Figure 14: Number of Samples examined per property type...27 Figure 15: Mineralised Malus domestica (Apple) seed from Insula VI.I...27 Figure 16: a. Carbonised Vitis vinifera (Grape) pips and b. Mineralised Vitis vinifera (Grape) pips...28 Figure 18: SEM of carbonised Vitis vinifera (Grape) pip from Insula VI.I...28 Figure 19: a. Carbonised half fragment of Vitis vinifera (grape) pip and b. Carbonised grape pip...28 Figure 20: SEM of carbonised Vitis vinifera (grape) petiole from Insula VI.I...28 Figure 21: Whole carbonised Olea europea (olive)...29 Figure 22: Ficus carica (fig) carbonised mesocarp from Insula VI.I...29 Figure 23: a. and b: SEMs of carbonised Ficus carica (fig) mesocarp from Insula VI.I...29 Figure 24 a. and b: Mineralised Ficus carica (fig) from Insula VI.I...29 Figure 25: SEM of one mineralised Ficus carica (fig) from Insula VI.I...29 Figure 26: a. Carbonised Pinus pinea (pine nut) shell fragment a. inside view b. outer shell view from Insula VI.I...29 Figure 27: a. Spikelet fork of T. dicoccum (Emmer) b. Spikelet fork of T. dicoccum (Emmer) from Insula VI.I...30 Figure 28: a. Hordeum vulgare (Barley) (dorsal view) and b. Hordeum vulgare (Barley) (ventral view) from Insula VI.I...30 Figure 29: SEM of carbonised Hordeum vulgare (Barley) (dorsal view) from Insula VI.I...30 Figure 30: Badly damaged carbonised Triticum sp. from Insula VI.I...30 Figure 31: a. Carbonised Panicum b. Carbonised Setaria both from Insula VI.I...30 Figure 32: Carbonised Vicia sp. from Insula VI.I...30 Figure 33: a. Carbonised Vicia sativa and b. Vicia faba from Insula VI.I...31 Figure 34: Total number of contexts examined grouped by time period...37 Figure 35: Number of contexts examined by time period shown by property from Insula VI.I...37 Figure 36: Total count of archaeobotanical remains (carbonised and mineralised remains) per property from Insula VI.I...37 Figure 37: Percentage of total count of archaeobotanical remains recovered from Insula VI.I by property...37 Figure 38: Total number of taxa (carbonised and mineralised) per property from Insula VI.I...37 Figure 39: Number of mineralised and carbonised taxa from published sources on Vesuvian sites...38 Figure 40: Total number of archaeobotanical (carbonised and mineralised) remains per context...38 Figure 41: Total volume of residue examined plotted...38 Figure 42: Archaeobotanical remains (carbonised and mineralised)...38 Figure 43: Percentage of archaeobotanical remains recovered from Insula VI.I by preservation...39 Figure 44: Total count of charred botanical remains per property from Insula VI.I...39 Figure 45: Total count of carbonised archaeobotanical remains per property from Insula VI.I...39 Figure 46: Total count of charred botanical remains per property from Insula VI.I by time period...39 Figure 47: Total count of carbonised botanical remains and total volume of residue examined per property from Insula VI.I...40 Figure 48: Charred botanical remains per L of residue examined per property from Insula VI.I...40 Figure 49: Number of carbonised taxa per property from Insula VI.I...40 Figure 50: Histogram of carbonised taxa from Insula VI.I...40 Figure 51: Number of carbonised taxa from Vesuvian Sites...41 Figure 52: Histogram of carbonised taxa from Vesuvian sites...42 Figure 53: Carbonised archaeobotanical remains per context examined per property from Insula VI.I...42 Figure 54: Histogram of recovered carbonised botanical remains per context from Insula VI.I...42 Figure 55: Total count of mineralised archaeobotanical remains per property from Insula VI.I...42 Figure 56: Total count of mineralised archaeobotanical remains by property from Insula VI.I...42 Figure 57: Total count of mineralised botanical remains recovered per property from Insula VI.I by time period...42 Figure 58: Total count of mineralised botanical remains recovered...43 Figure 59: Mineralised botanical remains recovered per L of residue examined per property from Insula VI.I...43 Figure 60: Number of mineralised taxa per property from Insula VI.I...43 Figure 61: Histogram of mineralised taxa from Insula VI.I...43 Figure 62: Number of mineralised taxa from Vesuvian sites...44 Figure 63: Histogram of mineralised archaeobotanical remains from published sources on Vesuvian sites...44 Figure 64: Mineralised botanical remains per context per property from Insula VI.I...44 Figure 65: Histogram of recovered mineralised botanical remains per context from Insula VI.I...44 Figure 66: Total volume (L) of residue examined per property from Insula VI.I...44 Figure 67: Total residue volume (L) per property from Insula VI.I...44 v

Figure 68: Breakdown of Residue Volume (L) by time period...45 Figure 69: Percentage of total carbonised archaeobotanical unknowns/indeterminates from Insula VI.I by time period...45 Figure 70: Count of carbonised indeterminates/unknowns by property and time period from Insula VI.I...45 Figure 71: Percent of carbonised archaeobotanical remains per property from Insula VI.I that were unknown/indeterminate...45 Figure 72: Percent of total count of mineralised unknowns/indeterminates from Insula VI.I...46 Figure 73: Total count of mineralised indeterminate by property by time period from Insula VI.I...46 Figure 74: Percentage of unknown mineralised remains per property from Insula VI.I...46 Figure 75: Total count of carbonised and mineralised unknowns from Insula VI.I by time period...46 Figure 76: Excavation areas for the House of the Surgeon (VI.I.x) (AAPP05 Resource Handbook p. 27)...47 Figure 77: 1st century BC archaeobotanical remains from the House of the Surgeon...48 Figure 78: Count of archaeobotanical remains from the House of the Surgeon (VI.I.x) by category from the 1st century BC...48 Figure 79: Histogram of count of archaeobotanical remains from the 1st century BC from the House of Surgeon (VI.I.x)...48 Figure 80: Count of archaeobotanical remains from the House of the Surgeon (VI.I.x) from the 1st century AD...48 Figure 81: House of the Surgeon (VI.I.x) areas where no archaeobotanical remains were recovered...49 Figure 82: Ubiquity of archaeobotanical remains from House of the Surgeon (VI.I.x) from flotation...49 Figure 83: shows the distribution of the total count of archaeobotanical (carbonised and mineralised) remains per room....49 Figure 84: Excavation areas for the House of the Vestals (VI.I.vii)...50 Figure 85: House of the Vestals (VI.I.vii) Room numbers...50 Figure 87: 1st century BC histogram of archaeobotanical remains from the House of Vestals (VI.I.vii)...51 Figure 86: 1st century BC archaeobotanical remains from the House of the Vestals (VI.I.vii)...51 Figure 89: 1st century AD histogram of archaeobotanical remains from the House of the Vestals (VI.I.vii)....51 Figure 88: Total count of archaeobotanical remains (mineralised and carbonised)...51 Figure 90: Excavation areas from the Shrine (VI.I.xiii) (AAPP05 Resource Handbook p. 27)...52 Figure 91: Archaeobotanical remains recovered from the Shrine (VI.I.xiii) from the 1st century BC or earlier...52 Figure 92: Histogram of archaeobotanical remains from the Shrine (VI.I.xiii) from the 1st century BC or earlier...52 Figure 93: 1st century AD archaeobotanical remains from the Shrine (VI.I.xiii)...53 Figure 94: Histogram of archaeobotanical remains recovered from the Shrine (VI.I.xiii) from the 1st century AD....53 Figure 95: Excavation areas from the Soap Factory (VI.I.xiv) (AAPP05 Resource Handbook p. 27)...54 Figure 96: Archaeobotanical remains from 1st century BC from the Soap Factory (VI.I.xiv)...54 Figure 97: Histogram of 1st century BC archaeobotanical remains from the Soap Factory (VI.I.xiv)...54 Figure 98: Archaeobotanical remains from 1st century AD from the Soap Factory (VI.I.xiv)...55 Figure 99: Histogram of count of archaeobotanical remains from the Soap Factory (VI.I.xiv) from the 1st century AD...55 Figure 100: Excavation areas from the Triclinium located within the Inn (AAPP05 Resource Handbook p. 27)...56 Figure 101: Archaeobotanical remains recovered from the Triclinium by preservation and general category from Insula VI.I...56 Figure 102: Carbonised archaeobotanical remains from the Triclinium from Insula VI.I... 56 Figure 103: Excavation areas from Via Consolare...57 Figure 104: Archaeobotanical remains from 1st century BC from Via Consolare...57 Figure 105: Archaeobotanical remains from 1st century AD from Via Consolare...57 Figure 106: Excavation areas from Vicolo di Narciso (AAPP05 Resource Handbook p. 27)...58 Figure 107: 1st century BC archaeobotanical remains from Vicolo di Narciso...58 Figure 108: 1st century AD count of archaeobotanical remains from Vicolo di Narciso...58 Figure 109: Excavation areas from the Well...59 Figure 110: 1st century BC archaeobotanical remains from the Well from Insula VI.I...59 Figure 111: Histogram of count of archaeobotanical remains from the Well from the 1st century BC...59 Figure 112: 1st century AD archaeobotanical remains from the Well from Insula VI.I...60 Figure 113: Mineralised Agrostemma githago L. (corn cockle) from Insula VI.I (not from the latrine deposit)...61 Figure 114: Total count of mineralised botanical remains recovered from the late 1st century BC toilet...61 Figure 115: Mineralised lentil recovered from Insula VI.I...61 Figure 116: Total number of mineralised and carbonised taxa from the House of the Vestals (VI.I.vii)...62 Figure 117: Archaeobotanical material recovered from Vicolo di Narciso from the 1st century BC...62 Figure 118: Archaeobotanical material by category recovered from Vicolo di Narciso from the 1st century AD...62 Figure 119: Mineralised Remains from the 1st century AD from Vicolo di Narciso...62 Figure 120: Carbonised Ornithopus perpusillus/sativus seed from Insula VI.I...63 Figure 121: Count of mineralised taxa from the House of the Vestals (VI.I.vii)...63 Figure 122: Count of Mineralised Remains of Fruits and Nuts from the House of the Vestals (VI.I.vii)...63 Figure 123: Mineralised taxa from specific contexts within the House of the Vestals (VI.I.vii)...64 Figure 124: Mineralised weed seeds from specific deposits from the House of the Vestals (VI.I.vii)...64 Figure 125: Carbonised taxa from the House of the Vestals (VI.I.vii)...64 Figure 126: Carbonised taxa from specific deposits within the House of the Vestals (VI.I.vii)...64 Figure 127: Count of carbonised taxa recovered from the House of the Vestals (VI.I.vii)...65 Figure 128: Carbonised botanical remains per L from specific contexts from the House of the Vestals (VI.I.vii)...65 Figure 129: Count of T. dicoccum from Insula VI.I...91 Figure 130: Count of Hordeum from Insula VI.I...92 Figure 131: Count of T.aestivum/T.durum from Insula VI.I...92 Figure 132: Count of Triticum sp. from Insula VI.I...92 Figure 133: Total count of Millet from Insula VI.I...93 Figure 134: Total count of Millet from Insula VI.I by time period...93 Figure135: Total count of Millet per property from Insula VI.I...93 Figure 136: Percentage of Millet from Insula VI.I by century...93 Figure 137: Total count of Millet per Property from Insula VI.I...94 Figure 138: Commercial triangle...105 vi

Figure 139: Bar of Pheobus...105 Figure 140: Bar of Acisculus...105 Figure 141: Soap Factory/Metal workshop...106 Figure 142: North end of Insula VI.I...107 Figure 143: Inn...107 Figure 144: Inn Bar...108 Figure 145 House of the Vestals...108 Figure 146: Vestals Bar...109 Figure 147: House of the Surgeon...110 Figure 148: Shrine...110 Figure 150: House of the Vestals (VI.I.vii) presence of mosaic floors (image after Veal 2009)...113 vii

List of Tables Table 1: Results of Amphorae Study from the House of the Vestals (VI.I.7)...14 Table 2: Number of samples examined from properties within Insula VI.I...27 Table 3: Summary of results from Insula VI.I by property by time period...47 Table 4: Presence and Absence table for Roads from Insula VI.I...65 Table 5: Presence and Absence table for Domestic properties within Insula VI.I...66 Table 6: Presence and Absence table for Commercial properties within Insula VI.I...67 Table 7: Presence and Absence table for Ritual contexts from Insula...68 Table 8: Insula VI.I Presence and Absence...89 Table 9: Pompeii sites Presence and Absence...89 Table 10: Pompeii sites continued Presence and Absence...90 Table 11: Via Consolare...104 Table 12: Vicolo di Narciso...105 Table 13: Bar of Pheobus (VI.I.xviii)...105 Table 14: Bar of Acisculus (VI.I.xvii)...106 Table 15: Soap Factory (VI.I.xiv)...106 Table 16: Triclinium...107 Table 17: Inn Presence and Absence...107 Table 18: Inn bar Presence and Absence...108 Table 19: House of the Vestals (VI.I.vii)...109 Table 20: Vestals Bar...109 Table 21: House of the Surgeon...110 Table 22: Shrine (VI.I.xiii)...111 Table 23: Well...111 Table 24: Presence and Absence of common taxa from properties within Insula VI.I...112 Table 25: Presence of spikelet forks from Insula VI.I...116 viii