Food, identity and humoral theory in early modern England: a case-study from Leicestershire
Channel: Recording Archaeology
Date: 2016-05-25

Archaeological studies of food have generally taken an isolationist approach: they have tended to consider animal and plant remains separately; and have largely failed to integrate written sources fully into their discussion. Furthermore, interpretations have tended to focus on the economics of production (e.g. an increase in the consumption of calves can be explained by a rise in dairy production) or on identifying aspects of dietary identity (most commonly social status). A major omission in current scholarship is consideration of humoral theory as a framework that guided contemporary attitudes to diet and good health. This was particularly true for the early modern period. My research will attempt to address this problem through an interdisciplinary case-study of an early modern aristocratic household at the forefront of cultural change—the home of the Grey family at Bradgate House, Leicestershire. In this presentation, I will outline and exemplify how I will integrate and interrogate archaeobotanical and zooarchaeological evidence alongside household accounts within a humoral framework to reconsider the role of humoral theory in influencing consumption behaviour and its influence on the construction and negotiation of group identities.

Rachel SMALL (University of Leicester)