More than just food from the sea: Exploitation of marine resources in Hellenistic Berenike on the Red Sea (Egypt)

Abstract

Hellenistic Berenike, a major harbour founded on the Red Sea coast of Egypt in the mid-3rd century BCE, was from the beginning dependent in part on the exploitation of its marine ecosystem to ensure a proper supply of food for the soldiers manning the fort as well as the population servicing the commercial harbour. The archaeomalacological assemblage from recent excavations (2009–2020) has provided material for redefining the relationship between the human population and the marine ecosystems. Remains associated with anthropic activity were separated from the malacological “background noise” by applying a taphonomic analysis and comparing results with a sedimentological study of core drillings from the site and the findings of a local geoarchaeological study carried out for the purposes of the Berenike Hellenistic subproject. Palaeoecological analyses identified the ecosystems exploited in fishing and mollusc gathering, while taphonomic examination revealed different food processing and cooking strategies used in fish and mollusc preparation, suggesting some interesting Hellenistic culinary practices. The study also demonstrated the other uses of marine resources: as decorated trays, pigment containers, censers or drinking cups, as personal ornaments and decoration of objects or furnishing, as raw resources for local handicrafts (tortoiseshell). Not the least, the earliest archaeological attestation of the use of gastropod operculum as an incense ingredient is of particular interest.