ABSTRACT
Archaeological artefacts are an important source of information for Roman diet and eating behaviours. The tools for preparing and consuming food were produced, used, and discarded throughout Roman settlements. This massive amount of what is largely household waste provides indirect evidence for diet and nutrition. There are several disciplines through which to approach the study of vessels in the context of diet and nutrition: morphology and material composition, use wear, and residue analysis. Observation of the traces of use on artefacts provides a vital contribution to our understanding of these artefacts for food preparation and consumption. Uncharred food residues on the interior of vessels and absorbed into vessel walls can also provide direct evidence for diet. Metal vessels were used for food preparation, cooking and serving in the Roman period; however, the archaeological evidence is minimal, likely because of a tendency to reuse metal.
