Garum and salsamenta

Darío Bernal Casasola, Enrique García Vargas, José Manuel Vargas Girón, María Ángeles Pascual Sánchez, Alejandro González Blas (2019), en : D. Bernal Casasola, José Manuel Vargas Girón y Macarena Lara Medina, eds. (2019): 7 metros de la Historia de Cádiz. Arqueología en El Olivillo y en el Colegio Mayor Universitario. Editorial Universidad de Cádiz: 493-498.

Enrique García Vargas, Eufrasia Roselló Izquierdo, Darío Bernal Casasola
y Arturo Morales Muñiz (219): "Salazones y salsas de pescado en la Antigüedad. Un primer acercamiento a las evidencias de paleocontenidos y depósitos primarios en el ámbito euro‑mediterráneo", en Bernal Casasola, D. y Jiménez Camino, R. (eds.),  Las cetariae de Ivlia Tradvcta Resultados de las excavaciones arqueológicas en la calle San Nicolás de Algeciras (2001‑2006. Editorial Universidad de Cádiz. Monografías de Historia y Arte.

This study represents the first detailed archaeozoological analysis on garum remains from Pompeii. It aims to contribute to our knowledge of activities connected to garum in one of the most celebrated centres of production in the Mediterranean by osteoarchaeological, taphonomical and ecological analyses. One place for the production and sale of this fish sauce was located in the urban perimeter of the town, the so‐called “Garum shop”, buried by the pyroclastic deposits of the Vesuvius eruption in 79 AD. After a short summary about the nature, role and origin of garum and its production processes, a description of the state of the art about garum production in Pompeii is summarized to assess the issue. The analyses undertaken on the remains found in an amphora from the “Garum Shop” show that the production of at least one kind of garum in Pompeii was obtained using individuals of picarels (Spicara smaris) as the fundamental ingredient. The state of preservation of the fish remains indicates that the picarels were not subject to any intense process of movement or compression that could have caused breakage at fragile points of the fish skeletons; it is therefore deduced that the product was still in the maceration stage awaiting the final process when the Pompeii destruction happened. The study revealed that the picarels were left to macerate whole; they were neither decapitated nor filleted. The osteoarchaeological and ecological analyses revealed the age of death, the sex and the season when the fish was caught contributing to define the fishing techniques, the production processes and the period of the year when the volcanic destruction happened.

En este estudio se ha tratado de hacer un estado actualizado de la cuestión sobre el itinerario y el comercio ejercido en la ruta que unía en la antigüedad el puerto de Carthago Nova con Complutum, el importante nudo de comunicaciones del centro peninsular.
Sin duda, esta calzada actuaría de eje vertebrador del tránsito comercial entre el centro peninsular y el puerto mediterráneo para, posteriormente, ser exportado al resto del Imperio.  La exportación de trigo, vino y minerales sería una constante en los carros que recorrieron la vía pero, en concreto, el peso del esparto y el lapis specularis tendrían un significado especial.
De esta manera, este yeso cristalizado extraído en las ricas minas de la provincia de Cuenca en el siglo I-II d.C. permitió un flujo inverso de artículos de todo tipo y llegó a las ventanas de Roma, Tusculum y Pompeya.

Las últimas investigaciones desarrolladas en el seno de diversos proyectos de investigación que tienen como objeto de estudio la ciudad de Onoba y su puerto, han puesto de relieve la existencia de una realidad arqueológica más significativa de la que se tenía hace una década; en donde los aspectos comerciales y productivos permiten establecer interesantes líneas de investigación. Este trabajo supone un primer acercamiento a las posibles dinámicas comerciales de este enclave y el planteamiento de futuras hipótesis de trabajo relacionadas con la proyección económica de este puerto atlántico y la presencia de sus principales exportaciones, salsamenta y especialmente metalla, en las rutas de navegación atlántico-mediterráneas.

In this paper we deal with some mosaics found in two seaside settlements in the Algarve (Portugal), Boca do Rio (Vila do Bispo, Faro) and Abicada (Mexilhoreira Grande, Portimão). Mosaics from Boca do Rio were found in 1870 by Sebastião Philippes Martins Estácio da Veiga, and just one of them is preserved today, though we know some others through two detailed drawings and a plan made by Amélia Claranges Lucotte. The villa of Abicada has been known since 1917 and its sophisticated pars urbana was excavated between 1937-38 by José Formosinho. The mosaics of both archaeological sites were studied in 1987 by Prof. José Maria Blázquez who offered a first stylistical approach to some of the most outstanding floors. The progress of research produced in current years in the fields of archaeological research, Roman architecture and mosaics of the Algarve enable us to address these mosaics again, to study them from a broader perspective. We analyse their stylistic and com-positional characteristics, paying special attention to the similarities with mosaics in other rural settlements in the area, like the best-known examples of Milreu and Cerro da Vila. They all share some stylistic and technical characteristics that enable us to place them in a common chronological and productive horizon, next to the mosaic production of other Roman sites of the Algarve. Thus, close parallels of geometrical and ornamental style in neighbour mosaics is useful both for suggesting a date to these non-stratigraphically dated mosaics and for defining the features of the widespread mosaic production in the Algarve.

Álvaro Rodríguez-Alcántara, Ana M. Roldán-Gómez, Darío Bernal-Casasola, Enrique García-Vargas, Víctor M. Palacios-Macías (2018): " Nuevas contribuciones tecnológicas al estudio de la salsa garum a partir del análisis químico de restos ictiológicos de la ‘Tienda del Garum’ de Pompeya (I.12.8)", Zephyrus LXXXII: 149-163

As organic materials, fish and its derivative products are perishable and break down rapidly
and ultimately disappear. Unless they include bones or scales, the only means of identifying
them in the archaeological record is through the identification of the chemical constituents
that are left behind after decomposition. Fish flesh mainly consists of proteins
and lipids. Since these molecules are unstable they degrade irreversibly after death or discard,
losing a significant part of the original chemical elements, consequently hampering
or complicating their identification. In this paper, two main types of fish products are considered:
raw, salted or cooked fish, and fermented fish-based products. In the first case,
the degradation of the native markers results from chemical post-depositional degradation,
and eventually thermal degradation during cooking. In the second case, the biochemical
processes involve bacteria that cause the rapid decomposition of fish as part of the process
of forming fish sauces, such as Roman garum. To detect and identify fish products we combined
experimental archaeology and organic analyses. The identification of the degradation
products of cholesterol appeared to provide a strong indicator for detecting the presence
of fish sauces. Analysis of samples taken from fish-salting vats located along the Atlantic
coast (Marsa, Baelo Claudia, Troia, Kerlaz, and Etel) with samples taken from actual
experimental garum sauces made from mackerel (Scomber scombrus), sardines (Sardina
pilchardus), and/or oysters (Ostreidae), revealed the presence of common markers of fermented
fish-based products. The application of the analytical methodology described here
to structures involved in ancient fish sauce manufacture and storage has enabled investigation
of the production of the sauces by searching directly for the fish markers on the inner
sides of the containers. For the first time the addition of molluscs and fruits in the fish
product has been identified as part of the process of manufacturing garum.

The paper presents a preliminary overview of the evidence for ancient fishing, fish-breeding and salinae sites in the Pašman channel, exploring the possibility of fish-processing in the region. Sources for traditional fishing techniques are reviewed in order to established those utilised in the area before industrial fishing tool over, and possibly in antiquity. Finally, particular attention will be given to the ancient structures discovered at Kumenat offering a possible interpretation for the rectangular rock-cut installations which characterise the site.

Taking Manilius’ description of the processing of fish in Astronomica 5.656–81 as its starting point this paper examines the relationship of fish salting to other aspects of the exploitation of the marine ecosystems in particular the exploitation of coastal salt lagoons.

Despite the paucity of evidence for salterns dated to the Roman period several can be associated with fish salting installations, for example, at O Areal (Vigo, Galicia) and Punta de l’Arenal (Javea, Alicante). The paper concludes by considering epigraphic evidence for connections between the personnel involved in the catching and sale of fish, and the provision of raw materials.