An archaeological excavation in the coastal city of Ashkelon has revealed Roman-era wine presses and vats used to prepare garum – a highly popular (and odoriferous) fish sauce that was a staple of the Roman table, the Israel Antiquities Authority reported Monday.
The garum vats, some of the few to be discovered extant in the eastern Mediterranean region, were unearthed at a city-funded excavation in which young residents of Kibbutz Yad Mordechai, outside Ashkelon, and pupils from the Makif Vav Middle School, next to the site, took part.
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Dr. Tali Erickson-Gini of the IAA explains the central place fish sauce – which had to be prepared outside of urban areas due to the stench it created – held in the ancient Roman diet.
"Historical sources refer to the production of special fish sauce that was used as a basic condiment for food in the Roman and Byzantine eras throughout the Mediterranean basin," Erickson-Gini said.
"This is a rare find in our region and very few installations of this kind have been found in the eastern Mediterranean. Ancient sources even refer to the production of Jewish [kosher] garum. The discovery of this kind of installation in Ashkelon evinces that the Roman tastes that spread throughout the empire were not confined to dress, but also included dietary habits," Erickson-Gini noted.
Ashkelon Mayor Tomer Glam called the recent finds "additional proof [that] Ashkelon is one of the most ancient cities in the world.
"The recent excavation … produces a combination of the city's rich past, its present development, and its future progress," Glam said.
Visitors curious about the culinary habits of the ancient Romans can visit the dig free of charge on Sunday, Dec. 22, the first day of Hanukkah.
