I banchetti funebri degli antichi cristiani presso le tombe dei defunti: cibi ordinari o cibi rituali / ?Early Christian Feasts near Graves: Ordinary or Ritual Meals?

Martorelli

2017-01-01

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Abstract

The practice of feasts near graves, coming from very ancient times, is still common during the early Christian age. A lot of evidence come up to light in archaeological excavations give us important markers: burial mensae, trace of fire, pottery, but also remains of food. The aim of my research is to draw a picture, a synthesis, of the food found in archaeological sites in Sardinia, relating to the centuries 4th to 7th, in order to understand if there was a difference between the meals in the daily life and in the ritual feasts and if ancient Christians did a selection eventually based on symbolic meaning.