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  3. The Archaeology of Food
  • Cited by 21
Publisher:
Cambridge University Press
Online publication date:
November 2019
Print publication year:
2019
Online ISBN:
9781108670159
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108670159
Subjects:
Archaeology: General Interest, Regional and World History: General Interest, History, Archaeology
Information

Book description

The Archaeology of Food explains how archaeologists reconstruct what people ate, and how such reconstructions reveal ancient political struggles, religious practices, ethnic identities, gender norms, and more. Balancing deep research with accessible writing, Katheryn Twiss familiarizes readers with archaeological data, methods, and intellectual approaches as they explore topics ranging from urban commerce to military provisioning to ritual feasting. Along the way, Twiss examines a range of primary evidence, including Roman bars, Aztec statues, Philistine pig remains, Nubian cooking pots, Mississippian squash seeds, and the bones of a medieval king. Her book introduces both archaeologists and non-archaeologists to the study of prehistoric and historic foodways, and illuminates how those foodways shaped and were shaped by past cultures.

Reviews

‘Engaging examples drawn from published research are provided throughout, supported by an extensive, up-to-date bibliography. Even though this text is written in a style that seems intended primarily for students, faculty and other researches are likely to find it useful as well.’

W. Kotter Source: Choice

‘The Archaeology of Food takes a global perspective on the centrality of food. In this short but exceptionally well-written volume, Twiss shows how food can be used to understand economic systems, social inequality, politics, religion, identity, and human–environment relationships in the past and present.’

Matthew E. Hill Jr Source: American Anthropologist

‘With its wide variety of case studies and outstanding bibliography, The Archaeology of Food should be on the bookshelves of researchers working on issues of cuisine, foodways, and zooarchaeology. Its modest length and exceptionally clear writing also make this volume a must-read in various undergraduate and graduate seminars. With her often witty prose, and a commitment to make even the most arcane academic debate understandable to beginning students, Twiss has produced an engaging book that will help both the student and professional alike better understand how archaeologists study food.’

Matthew E. Hill, Jr Source: American Anthropologist

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