Reconstructing the Roman London flavourscape: new insights into the exotic food plant trade using network and spatial analyses

Alexandra Livarda,Hector A Orengo

doi:10.1016/j.jas.2015.01.008

Alexandra Livarda, Hector A Orengo

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2015.01.008

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Abstract

Using archaeobotanical data and examining them with a novel combination of density interpolation surfaces and social and spatial network analyses, this study has brought together exotic food plants in Roman London to outline the changing ‘face’ of its flavourscape, and contextualise it within the broader exotics commerce in Britannia. Consumption of a variety of exotics appeared to be widespread since the very first stages of London's establishment and their presence was maintained throughout although later on, as life in the town developed and its character changed, the focus of their distribution also changed. The emphasis shifted from the core of the city in its early days towards its outer zones, such as the upper Walbrook valley and Southwark in the Middle Roman, and the western and eastern sectors in the Late Roman phase. These changes appeared to largely reflect the changes in the overall commerce network of exotics in Britannia. In this network London starts as a mainly consumption place in the Early Roman phase to become the main redistribution centre in the Middle Roman and the necessary intermediate node in the transport system that had been established by the Late Roman phase, connecting the south to the north.

Highlights

A substantial body of work on exotic food plant introductions in the northern provinces during the Roman period, adopting more contextual approaches, has been underway during the past decade (e.g. Bakels and Jacomet, 2003; Jacomet et al, 2002; Livarda, 2008a, 2008b, 2011; Livarda and van der Veen, 2008)
London is among the beststudied places in regards to archaeobotany. This is due to the systematic work carried out since the 1970s largely by the Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA) and other units that were responsible for the study of material from numerous excavations conducted prior to urban development projects
West crossing appears to be an important area in terms of exotics since the early days of London, retaining this character throughout the period despite the fluctuation in the ‘epicentres’ of exotic food access within the rest of the city

Summary

Introduction

A substantial body of work on exotic food plant introductions in the northern provinces during the Roman period, adopting more contextual approaches, has been underway during the past decade (e.g. Bakels and Jacomet, 2003; Jacomet et al, 2002; Livarda, 2008a, 2008b, 2011; Livarda and van der Veen, 2008). London is among the beststudied places in regards to archaeobotany This is due to the systematic work carried out since the 1970s largely by the Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA) and other units that were responsible for the study of material from numerous excavations conducted prior to urban development projects. This unique past and present privileged position of London offers a great potential to move one step further and investigate in detail, at a site level, how and why a new ‘flavourscape’ emerged during the Roman period. It offers a means to study how this impacted on and became intertwined with the new ways of life in Britain after the Roman invasion

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