Details
Food is such an essential part of human existence, not only because it sustains us; it reminds us of home, family or happy times. The food we know and love creates a feeling of safety and comfort. Therefore, it is little wonder that the Romans brought so much of their food and cooking culture with them to Britain, including a wide array of cooking utensils and tools.
One such essential cookery tool is the mortarium, used to grind herbs and spices on the coarse grit embedded into the bowl's internal surface. It was possibly the ancient equivalent of a food processor.
Initially imported, there have been many examples found in Britain that were East Gaulish imports. However, Romano-British potters soon caught on and began to produce their own versions with production sites identified in the Nene Valley (2nd to 4th centuries AD) potteries and near Crambeck, Yorkshire (2nd century AD)
Form 43
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'Pre-order' items are made to order, and we will dispatch them as soon as we have handcrafted them for you; this usually takes 90 days, but international orders can take a little longer.
Materials
Earthenware, terracotta with quartz grit
Dimensions
Approx. 80 mm tall, 255 mm diameter
Production
This replica Roman pot was hand-made in Northumberland by Potted History and based on an original artefact. It has been fired to emulate the authentic Roman firing conditions to a temperature between 800°C & 1000°C, as the original potters would have done nearly two thousand years ago. This process often results in variations of the surface colour and texture, as is found with original Roman Pottery, giving each pot its unique character.
Health and Safety
This Museum Quality Replica was made using the tools and techniques that ancient potters would have used during this era. This is an unglazed pot with a porous surface; it will absorb some of the flavours during the cooking process, adding to the flavour of future dishes. However, it also means that this pot does not meet modern Health and Safety standards, so we do not advise that it be used for cooking. Although our replicas are often used for Experimental Archaeology purposes, you do so at your own risk if you choose to use this item for cooking,
When the Romans cooked in these pots, they relied on applying sufficient heat to the pot and contents to ensure that high temperatures killed all bacteria. Heating to over 70°C for at least 10 minutes would have killed most disease-causing bacteria, and temperatures of 100°C would do even more.
It is likely that the first time a mortarium was used, ancient cooks ground down the internal surface with a pestle to remove any grit that was not fully embedded in the clay's surface. This would have helped to avoid any dental emergencies.
Postage
All items are sent using a second-class postal service; if you wish to have an item sent first-class, please contact us for a quote. Many Thanks
