GARUM WORKSHOP - POMPEII

‘Garum’ was the name of a fish sauce which was a favourite throughout Pompeii and was prepared and sold in this small house on Via dell’Abbondanza. As a residues found in six sealed containers in the courtyard have not been yet analysed, it has so far been impossible to establish whether the garum produced here was the high quality type (garum excellens or garum flos flos) or some poorer variety. A large number of empty amphorae were stored in the back garden; they have just been cleaned and were ready to be filled by means of a funnel which was also found in the workshop. This is evidence that the garum from Pompeii was exported to many places throughout the Roman Empire. The name of the manufacturer, A. Umbricius Scaurus was painted on these vessels. Thank to the commercial success of this product especially in Rome, A. Umbricius Scaurus was able to embark on a political career which culminated in the office of duumvir during the reign of the Emperor Nero.

 

Why do not you arrange with us an amazing day in the Gulf of Naples - a private tour (just for you) with a comfortable limousine or minivan with driver and an English-speaking tour guide? We have organized for you a great guided tour to Naples-Pompeii-Sorrento-Amalfi Coast (Positano). Contact us by e-mail info@pompeii.org.uk for further info.

Behind the façade of the tavern, which borders on Via dell’Abbondanza and is covered all over with election propaganda, we can see a masonry counter which contained four terra-cotta vessels for storing cooked meals. At the rear of the tavern are the remains of the staircase which led to the guest rooms on the upper floor. The graffiti on the walls of these rooms suggests that customers could also enjoy the company of Asellina’s waitresses. The tavern-keeper Asellina as well as Zmyrina, Ismurna and Aegle were influential women who used to sign electoral propaganda to support candidates in the elections for high municipal offices.

(Apic. 7, 19, 3) Ingredients:

• 8 hard boiled eggs (not too well done - boil ca. 4 minutes)
• 50g stone-pine kernels
• 2 tblsp honey
• 3 tblsp vinegar
• pepper
• Privet
• Liquamen (or salt)

Instructions:
-------------
Dressing for boiled eggs: Mix together pepper, Liebstoeckl, soaked pine
kernels. Add honey and vinegar and season with Liquamen. Serve together
with the eggs.

Love was a common topic of conversation in Pompeii. Feelings, passions, poetic love, sex, homosexuality, prostitution and so forth were all part of daily life and not a source of prejudice. The concept of “obscenity” seems to have been unknown. Love and sex were considered earthly practices of a man’s life that were encouraged by the benevolence of Venus. The thousands of examples of graffiti found on the town’s walls are unequivocal proof of what the people of Pompeii thought about love and sex.