Cheese Molds pre-1600

Cheese is an ancient food.  There have been a few new finds that date this food stuff to neolithic times. A shard that was part of a cheese mold was carbon dated in order to figure out how old it was.  I find the interesting part, as always, are the archaeologists trying to figure out how it was used (and if it was a shard, what the whole piece might of looked like when complete).



With many ceramic objects from ancient times (and before) that figuring out how something was used is pretty tricky. It's all guesses unless there is some sort of detailed writings during the time period it was made.  Usually every day use of some objects just weren't discussed.  We only use modern interpretation of what we know of the uses of the object and any other documentation we may have from previous sources. Analyzing the object for any residue, such as various food compounds, help with identifying what the object was on contact with.  That helps in the identification process.

Ancient cheese molds are actually a fairly interesting object.  Faisselle (Cheese strainer) is another name for a bowl with holes to allow whey to drain from the curd. They come in different shapes and sizes. The word comes from the Latin fiscellae. These strainers were originally made from bisqued clay, stoneware or porcelain, and later in wood, iron, aluminium, and plastic.



 

Two more related words:  FAISSELLIER : instrument used for pressing curds in Neufchatel cheese.
FAISCINE : (related to Faisselle, Latin origin) meaning a whey mold, used in the region around Tours.

These molds (moulds) could have had some sort of weight added to them. Adding weight would make them presses, but as there hasn't been any pieces found that would fit within the mold as a press, it's difficult to rule that use in or out. Perhaps they stacked on top of one another, however usually if there is a stacking pot, the foot and lip are adjusted in the creation so that they "lock" in place making them more stable.  I haven't seen the underside of any of these pieces, so it's though to say if that was done.  From what I can see the lip is flat and the walls are straight.  So, while they could stack, boy they would be easy to knock over.

Since none of the potters are alive that made these pieces, its really tough to say why they did what they did.  Pottery even in ancient times was fairly advanced. Ceramics haven't changed a whole lot since the wheel was created (save a number of firing and some other techniques which came from leaps of technology in various areas of mining and production).


Netherlands, 1600-1700

These are the main shapes that were locked into "cheese molds" but other items can be used for the same thing.  Late period, in Brittan, there were colanders that looked very close to an illumination which shows cheesemakers.  The archeologists aren't always right.  Anything with holes can be used as a mold and if you can fit in weights, a press.

Scratchy? Stoneware for the privy

This is a great example of archeologists and how they guess at what and how ceramic objects are used. I am not convinced that this is what the use is. I'm pretty sure they can run tests to see if there is any material left in the unglazed ceramics that could confirm.

Why I don't believe it's use...There would be thousands if not more of these things found if they were used for what they are saying.

Depending on the shape (I can't tell by these horrible photos) I could see a skin scraper (exfoliation). Those were used in bath houses in the middle east and could see the Romans stealing that idea to make their own of sorts.

This is always the challenge for a historical potter just figuring out what to trust. I have numerous books printed many years ago that have wrong information (newer books have proven opposite info) and vice-versa. Over the years you just have to go with those ideas that make the most amount of sense to you and hope for the best.

'They would have been a bit scratchy': The ceramic 'gaming pieces' that new research claims were a R

www.dailymail.co.uk

More Romanware for the English/Welsh Persona

A "mug" that was based off a form in the book, "Pottery in Roman Brittain, page 52. This tankard or mug, is Severn Valley ware from Kingsholm (Gloucestershire) and was made for Roman kitchenwares during the second and third centuries. Considered "psuedo-samian formed" (another type of ware) and was very regionalized and not very exported since it was mostly made for the Roman armies stationed in that area.

There were earlier forms of Severn Valley ware starting as early and first century when the Romans came. The region from where these potters reached was in the Mendips, south Wales and the Welsh Marches, and as far north as Cheshire.

These pots are normally an orange-red with carved decorations. I doubled and tripled the size of the actual pieces and used my food safe brown-red glaze... and green one. As far as I can tell from my documentation, the originals were NOT glazed, but it was just raw clay that gave it the color and texture.