Ancient Cookware from the Levant - An Ethnoarchaeological Perspective - Gloria London
11. How to Clean Clay Pots
Ancient Cookware from the Levant - An Ethnoarchaeological Perspective - Gloria London
Gloria London [+]
Independent Scholar
Description
Natural materials to clean clay pots in traditional societies use some of the same antibacterial ingredients sold to this day. Ethnoarchaeological research demonstrates that biblical and medieval texts can be understood to refer to safe practices for cooking and cleaning pots. People responsible for daily food preparation in antiquity and in traditional societies knew not to use dairy pots for meat, regardless of religion or ethnic origin. Texts from classical and medieval times encourage people to use clean pots. In this context, the kosher laws can be understood as advice for cooking for large groups of people at special occasions, when the usual precautions might have been overlooked, given the need to prepare food for so many. Ancient and traditional societies not only are better able to reuse artifacts, they also knew how to reduce their footprint and eliminate unwanted artifacts better than our own society.