Ancient waste shows surprising ‘luxury' food item was not only for Roman elite
The popular on-the-go menu item offered to the masses? A fried songbird.
Archaeologists discovered the remains of thrushes in an underground waste disposal system called a cesspit connected to a taberna, or food shop, in Pollentia dating back about 2,100 years, according to a May 26 study published in the International Journal of Osteoarchaeology.
Cesspits preserve organic material and provide insights into the diets, health and cultural practices of ancient communities, making them important archaeological artifacts, study author Alejandro Valenzuela said.
Before now, historical records indicated that thrushes were 'exclusively a luxury food item for elite banquets' and consumed only by the 'upper echelons of Roman society,' according to Valenzuela.
The presence of thrush bones among waste deposits of urban kitchens of shops associated with 'lower and middle-class' residents challenges this view, according to Valenzuela.
'This evidence suggests that thrushes were commonly sold and consumed in Roman urban spaces,' Valenzuela said, adding they were 'part of the everyday diet of urban populations.'
Valenzuela said it is likely that the thrushes were pan-fried at the market in Pollentia — a common Roman culinary practice of the time, particularly among street vendors who needed to serve food quickly.
Thrushes migrate to Mallorca in the winter, so urban vendors likely took advantage of their seasonal availability to diversify their menus — 'a sophisticated economic strategy,' according to the study.
Elite members of society distinguished themselves by breeding thrushes, making them available year-round, according to the study.Excavations of Pollentia began in the early twentieth century, according to experts at Institute of Archaeology of the University of Barcelona. Mallorca is one of Spain's Balearic Islands.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
07-08-2025
- Newsweek
World's Longest Suspension Bridge Approved on Earthquake Fault Line
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Italian government has given the go-ahead for construction of the world's longest suspension bridge, linking the island of Sicily with the southern mainland, after years of delays and despite opposition from critics who question the wisdom of building such a long bridge in an earthquake zone. The right-wing government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has made the Strait of Messina Bridge a priority and has set aside 13.5 billion euros ($15.8 billion) over the next 10 years to build the 2.3-mile-long structure. Why It Matters The idea of connecting Sicily to the Italian mainland has been around for a couple of thousand years but Roman empires, King Charlemagne, and successive modern Italian governments have all failed to get beyond the planning phase. The Strait of Messina is along a fault line. In 1908, a 7.1 magnitude earthquake killed more than 100,000 and led to a tsunami that devastated both coasts. Apart from the challenges of building in an earthquake-prone area, worries about costs, the environmental impact, and even fears of the Mafia cashing in on construction projects have all stymied progress. A link across the strait has long been touted as a way to boost economic development in Italy's poor south. This digital rendering shows a bridge linking the Italian mainland with Sicily, a long-delayed 13.5 billion euro ($15.8 billion) project, that an interministerial committee with oversight of strategic public investments has approved, the Italian Transport... This digital rendering shows a bridge linking the Italian mainland with Sicily, a long-delayed 13.5 billion euro ($15.8 billion) project, that an interministerial committee with oversight of strategic public investments has approved, the Italian Transport Ministry said in a statement, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2025. More Webuild – Eurolink Image Library via AP What to Know Italy's Interministerial Committee for Economic Planning and Sustainable Development (CIPESS) gave its final approval for the project on Wednesday. "It is not an easy project, but we consider it to be an investment in Italy's present and its future, and we like difficult challenges when they make sense," Meloni said, according to the ANSA news agency. Transport Minister Matteo Salvini, who has been the driving force behind the project, told a news conference in Rome the Strait of Messina Bridge will be "the biggest infrastructure project in the West." "From a technical standpoint, it's an absolutely fascinating engineering project,'' Salvini said, adding construction was expected to be finished by 2033. The bridge will have a suspended span of more than 2 miles, surpassing Turkey's Canakkale Bridge, which is now the longest at 1.3 miles. The bridge will have three car lanes in each direction flanked by a double-track railway, and capacity for 6,000 cars an hour and 200 trains a day—reducing the time to cross the strait by ferry from up to 100 minutes to 10 minutes by car. Trains will save 2.5 hours in transit time, Salvini said. A photograph captured by the ESA's Sentienl-2 satellites on July 24, 2025, shows the Strait of Messina separating the island of Sicily to the west from the Italian mainland to the east. A photograph captured by the ESA's Sentienl-2 satellites on July 24, 2025, shows the Strait of Messina separating the island of Sicily to the west from the Italian mainland to the east. Copernicus The project could also help Italy fulfill its commitment to raise defense spending to the NATO target of 5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2035. The government has indicated it would classify the bridge as defense-related, in that it would form a strategic corridor for rapid troop movements and equipment deployment to NATO's southern flanks, qualifying it as a "security-enhancing infrastructure." Salvini confirmed the intention to classify the project as dual use but said that was up to Italy's defense and economic ministers. This digital rendering shows a bridge linking the Italian mainland with Sicily, a long-delayed 13.5 billion euro ($15.8 billion) project, that an interministerial committee with oversight of strategic public investments has approved, the Italian Transport... This digital rendering shows a bridge linking the Italian mainland with Sicily, a long-delayed 13.5 billion euro ($15.8 billion) project, that an interministerial committee with oversight of strategic public investments has approved, the Italian Transport Ministry said in a statement, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2025. More Webuild – Eurolink Image Library via AP Environmental groups have lodged complaints with the EU, citing worries about the impact of the bridge on migratory birds. The project has been awarded to a consortium led by Italian infrastructure group Webuild, which has addressed concerns about a bridge over the Messina fault, saying that suspension bridges are structurally less vulnerable to seismic forces, and that similar bridges have been built in Turkey and Japan, which are also very seismically active. What People Are Saying Italian Vice Premier and Minister of Transport Matteo Salvini, right, and Italian undersecretary Alessandro Morelli hold a press conference about the decision to approve work on the Strait of Messina suspension bridge linking the Italian... Italian Vice Premier and Minister of Transport Matteo Salvini, right, and Italian undersecretary Alessandro Morelli hold a press conference about the decision to approve work on the Strait of Messina suspension bridge linking the Italian mainland with Sicily, in Rome, Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025. More Andrew Medichini/AP Meloni was cited by the ANSA news agency as saying: "It almost goes without saying that it is a strategic project for the development of the entire nation." Webuild CEO Pietro Salini said in a statement: "The project will be fitted with the most advanced technologies for safety and maintenance. It will also be built according to the highest international engineering standards." What Happens Next The Court of Auditors must clear the planning committee's decision, which could take a few weeks. Salvini said work could start by October, with preliminary work expected to include archaeological and geological surveys. Reporting by The Associated Press contributed to this article.
New York Post
30-06-2025
- New York Post
Italy finds $16 billion loophole to hit Trump's 5% defense spending pledge: A bridge to Sicily
Italy's got a plan to beef up its defense spending to 5% of GDP. And if you believe that, they've got a bridge in Sicily to sell you. Italy said it will meet President Trump's new demands on NATO members to spend much more on defense. But there's a $16 billion catch, according to Politico. Advertisement 4 The Italian government is planning on reclassifying a planned bridge across the Strait of Messina as a national security expenditure. Photo by Gabriele Maricchiolo/NurPhoto via Getty Images The country could reclassify a proposal for the world's longest suspension bridge as national security expenditure, the news outlet reported. Rome has one of the smallest military budgets within the alliance by percentage — with only 1.49% of GDP going to its military each year. Advertisement That amounted to about $34 billion in 2024, less than 4% of the US military budget. That means the country faces a massive uphill climb to boost its military spending to meet the US-demanded target of 5% by 2035. Now, the Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has come up with a novel way to increase defense spending, by redefining a planned new bridge to Sicily as military expenditure. 4 A model of the proposed bridge on an Italian TV broadcast. Future Publishing via Getty Images Advertisement The proposed crossing over the Strait of Messina which, at more than two miles long, has been a dream of leaders in Rome dating back to the ancient Roman emperors. However, the many challenges facing such an undertaking — including the massive cost — has put the project on hold for decades. Italian authorities now claim that the bridge has strategic value to NATO, rather than just an economic role, as laid out in a government report in April. 4 Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's plan would help the country meet NATO's increased military spending requirement. Photo by PierAdvertisement 'The bridge over the Strait of Messina also has strategic importance for national and international security, so much so that it will play a key role in defense and security, facilitating the movement of Italian armed forces and NATO allies,' a report stated. Italy's loophole might also be totally allowable under NATO rules. Every morning, the NY POSTcast offers a deep dive into the headlines with the Post's signature mix of politics, business, pop culture, true crime and everything in between. Subscribe here! Of the 5% GDP NATO target, only 3.5% must be on core defense spending, while 1.5% can be on broader strategic projects such as infrastructure. Officially, the Strait of Messina is outside of Italy's only designated military mobility corridor, which goes from the Puglia region in the southeast of the country and crosses the Adriatic Sea to Albania, continuing to North Macedonia and Bulgaria. 4 Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini said construction may begin in July. Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images Final authorization of the project is expected in July, Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini said last week. He proposed naming the bridge after Silvio Berlusconi, Italy's late prime minister who became infamous for his 'bunga bunga' parties and financial scandals. Advertisement Opposition parties have called the proposed bridge a massive waste of money. 'This is a mockery of the citizens and of the commitments made at NATO. I doubt that this bluff by the government will be accepted,' Giuseppe Antoci from the left-wing populist 5Star Movement told Politico. 'The government should stop and avoid making an international fool of itself, which would cover Italy in ridicule,' he added.
CNBC
10-06-2025
- CNBC
Europe to follow global markets higher as China-U.S. trade talks continue in London
The City of London is a blend of old and new, with St Paul's Cathedral close to skyscrapers as well as Roman ruins. Shomos Uddin | Moment | Getty Images Good morning from London, welcome to CNBC's live blog covering all the action in European financial markets as well as the latest regional and global business news, data and earnings. Futures data from IG suggests London's FTSE will open 11 points higher at 8,838, Germany's DAX up 62 points at 24,234, France's CAC 40 up 23 points at 7,807 and Italy's FTSE MIB 83 points higher at 40,545. Global markets have been buoyed by trade talks that are taking place between U.S. and Chinese officials in London this week, with hopes rising that both sides can avert large-scale punitive tariffs and a trade war. Global markets will be keeping an eye on the talks, which are set to continue Tuesday. The latest U.K. unemployment figures are also due, but there are no other significant earnings or data reports Tuesday. — Holly Ellyatt Global markets climbed overnight amid hopes that the U.S. and China will find a way to resolve their trade dispute, with talks between trade officials set to continue in London on Tuesday. Asia-Pacific markets and U.S. stock futures rose Monday night as investors waited for more insights into trade discussions between the U.S. and China. Traders are looking for signs of a deal that doesn't involve the world's two largest economies slapping extravagant tariffs on each other. A car with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent leaves a residence where trade talks between Chinese and U.S. delegations take place in Geneva, Switzerland, May 10, 2025. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse Denis Balibouse | Reuters President Donald Trump's top trade officials met their Chinese counterparts in London on Monday, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer negotiating on behalf of the U.S. Trump has authorized Bessent's team to potentially remove U.S. restrictions on the sales of chipmaking software, jet engine parts and ethane, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing sources familiar with the matter. Trump said Monday that the talks were going well and he was "only getting good reports," according to Reuters. — Holly Ellyatt
