Evidence of cheesemaking in lower Pannonia and upper Moesia

Abstract

Evidence of cheese making at sites in lower Pannonia and Upper Moesia are shown in the typical ceramic molds for cheese. We have no written evidence about cheese production in Pannonia and Moesia, and the cheese itself or the woven strainers are archaeologically invisi ble. We can thus learn about cheese-making exclusively from ceramic fragments. The finds of vessels that we consider to be strainers/molds for cheese allow us to reckon with a production that must have satisfied at least the local demands for this product. It is known that the Emper or Hadrian lived the life of a regular soldier for a while (SHA, Hadrian X, 2) and enjoyed “larido, caseo et posca”. This source gives us an evidence that cheese was part of soldier’s diet, and most the soldiers were probably able to produce the cheese by themselves. The production of good-quality cheese is considered an art even today, and the case was the sa¬me with the Ro mans and the process itself has not undergone substantial changes. Experiments that follow guidelines from Collumela and other authors show similarities with the cheese making known from ethnology and from the way cheese is made in farms of today.