The Roman Kitchen
Roman food and utensils
(on display in the Potteries Museum & Art Gallery)
The Romans used a combination of pottery, metal, wood and glass vessels in their kitchens, but it is usually pottery that has survived in the ground to be found centuries later by archaeologists.
The kitchen was often a room on the side of the house, due to the risk of fire from the oven.
Storing food
Food was stored in coarse pottery jars and liquids were stored in pottery flagons or glass bottles. Flagons had been introduced into Britain after the invasion and were widely used in Roman houses.
Amphorae. These very large pottery containers were known in pre-Roman Britain, but their use became more widespread after the invasion. They were shipped from Spain containing fish sauce or olive oil, and from Italy and Gaul containing wine. They were often re-used once they had arrived at their destination, so many survive.
Preparation and cooking
Ingredients were mixed in mortaria, which were shallow bowls with grit inside to help grind the food. The Romans introduced these mortaria into Britain after the invasion.
The Romans used metal saucepans and frying pans as we do today, but it is rare that archaeologists find artefacts such as these, as metal was melted down and re-used. Coarse pottery cooking vessels are very common on Roman sites.
Tablewares
Roman Pottery
(on display in The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery)
These were the equivalent of today's 'best china'. Many people could not afford to buy fine wares for their table, so they ate from coarse vessels similar to their kitchen wares. Table wares were made of metal, glass and high-quality pottery, although it is mainly the pottery that survives.
Samian was a type of red pottery originally made in Gaul (France) where it was mass-produced in factories. Samian was in great demand in Britain, as it was very fashionable during the 1st and 2nd centuries AD. The vessels made in samian ware included dishes, bowls, cups and vases, and are found on both military and civilian sites. Some have elaborate moulded decoration of people, animals and plants.
