Abstract:

Archaeologists are increasingly recognising the importance of foodways for understanding cultural diversity. Eating is a necessity, but the way in which groups choose to differentiate themselves in the way they eat – the way they dine – can be revealing of shared and individual identity. Historical archaeology, the study of the recent past, offers opportunities to analyse the social and ideological contexts of food consumption that are not only important in their own right, but also contribute to the wider archaeological and sociological debates on food and culture. The historical period is one of growing elaboration on the table; a period in which the written codification of acceptable behaviours – etiquette – developed in tandem with a proliferation of dining-related material culture. As England came to terms with industrialisation and imperialism, a disposable, consumer-based culture on a hitherto unseen scale grew up.

Work on the foodways of the period has fallen largely into the sphere of culinary historians, with the occasional foray by other disciplines. However, while documentary sources are of importance, this paper will argue that too much emphasis has been put on them, and demonstrate the value of an archaeologically-informed approach. Using data drawn from the ceramic and glassware collection of Harewood House, Yorkshire; the Norfolk Museums Trust, and York Museums Trust; along with documentary sources, this paper will demonstrate that changes in dining etiquette in the nineteenth century are of fundamental importance to an understanding of Victorian cultural values. It elucidates the ways in which the social and cultural tensions inherent in a rapidly changing society were materially negotiated at the table. Situating such an analysis within an archaeological framework is beneficial, not only for archaeology, but also for the field of culinary studies.

(*Beeton, I (1861) The Book of Household Management. London, S.O Beeton. Facsimile edition (2000) London, Cassell & Co. p.905)

About this Paper

Paper given at Food and Drink in Archaeology Conference, Nottingham, 19-20 May 2007. Proceedings published 2008.