The identification of Jewish patterns of food preparation and consumption: a zooarchaeological approach to the Medieval and early Modern evidence from Central-Eastern Europe

Abstract

The thesis addresses the question of detecting traces of Jewish presence in the zooarchaeological record. It discusses the cultural aspects of meat provisioning adopted by the medieval and early modern Jewish communities in Polish and Czech lands. Two indicators of Jewish presence in zooarchaeology are discussed: the presence/absence of the bones of non-kosher animals (especially pig) and the hindlimbs of cattle and caprine. The evidence suggests that both indicators can successfully contribute to detecting the Jewish footprint in animal bone assemblages. However, they are not as straightforward as previously thought, and need to be supplemented with other lines of evidence, as well as interpreted in their broader archaeological and historical contexts. Most crucial is a thorough analysis of the religious, historical, and ethnographic aspects of porging practice—a butchery activity essential for producing kosher meat—and its detection on bones. The study presented here reveals the occurrence of porging on bones from the Middle Ages and early modern period, and discusses their possible uses. Further zooarchaeological analyses show regional and temporal differences in Jewish meat provisioning and consumption connected to wealth and possibly local traditions. The thesis also discusses the issue of observance and transgression of the dietary rules in the Middle Ages and early modern period and their impact on Jewish identity, as demonstrated through zooarchaeological analysis