Abstract
The analysis of botanical remains from two Roman quarry settlements has demonstrated that, despite their location in the remote Eastern Desert of Egypt, the workforce had access to a healthy and well-balanced diet, comprising carbohydrates, protein, sugars, fats, minerals and vitamins. Both staple foods and luxuries have been identified, demonstrating that the food supply to these sites was concerned with much more than basic survival and human nutrition. Some of the foods were supplied in kind, but the workmen also received a salary with which purchases of further foods, luxuries and other goods could be made. Remarkably, some foods, i.e. vegetables, were locally grown, highlighting the value attached to fresh ‘greens’. The results provide new evidence for a highly developed food economy in Roman Egypt, able to support substantial non-agricultural communities.
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van der Veen, M. (1999). The Food and Fodder Supply to Roman Quarry Settlements in the Eastern Desert of Egypt. In: van der Veen, M. (eds) The Exploitation of Plant Resources in Ancient Africa. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-6730-8_14
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-6730-8_14
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