Meat in the Urban Markets of the Medieval Maghrib and al-Andalus. Production, Exchange, and Consumption

Abstract

Markets (aswāq, sing. sūq) were the commercial heart of the city in the medieval Maghrib and al-Andalus. The variety of merchants and artisans who had shops within the market came under the supervision of an inspector (muh. tasib or s. āh. ib al-sūq). At these markets, meat was an important commodity which was sold both raw and in prepared dishes. This paper examines the place of meat in urban food markets through an analysis of the commercial networks and the organization of supply, from animal vendors to professional cooks. The analysis focuses on economic, social, and religious aspects based on textual documentation (legal, culinary, and geographical) and zooarchaeological data.