The comparison of archaeobotanical data and the oldest documentary records (14th–15th century) of useful plants in medieval Gdańsk, northern Poland

Abstract

This paper presents a comparison of archaeobotanical data with information about useful plants from the oldest (14th-15th century) written sources that have survived in the archives of Gdańsk, northern Poland. The main information on plant products, available in medieval documents from Gdańsk, concerns taxa traded by merchants as well as those used by the Teutonic Knights or the city council of Gdańsk. In these sources, as well as from many records about cereals, numerous spices and vegetables are listed which do not have counterparts in the archaeobotanical remains which have been found. On the other hand, the archaeobotanical data complement our knowledge on the use of common plants, both cultivated and collected in the wild, which written sources do not mention. This situation is most apparent in the case of local fruits like plums, cherries or berries, of which numerous remains are proof of their considerable popularity in Gdańsk. This would be impossible to conclude on the basis of historical documents only, whose attention is focused on the more expensive and imported plant products.

Deviant burials and social identity in a postmedieval Polish cemetery: An analysis of stable oxygen and carbon isotopes from the “vampires” of Drawsko

“…While consumed by all socioeconomic sects, millet played an especially important dietary role for peasants and workers of the lower classes (Krenz‐Niedbała, ). Archaeobotanical remains of common and foxtail millet from waterlogged medieval sites in Poland corroborates local preference for this grain (Badura, Możejko, Święta‐Musznicka, & Latałowa, ). Flour made from other cereals—including rye, wheat, and barley—were used in making different types of breads, baked goods, beer, and vodka and was more commonly employed in commercial contexts (e.g., mills, breweries) than was millet (Dembińska, ; Żyromski, ).…”

“…Alternatively, it may also indicate that human diet during the postmedieval period likely contained some contribution from C 4 or marine resources that was not consumed by these game animals, or—based on comparative values from Reitsema et al ()—medieval domesticated fauna. Both historical texts (Dembińska, ) and archaeobotanical evidence (Badura et al, ) speak to the near‐ubiquitous use of millet in Poland during the medieval and postmedieval periods for both the upper and lower classes, which may account for the 13 C enrichment seen in human values. While such enrichment may result from either indirect (through the consumption of primary or secondary products of animals which fed on millet) or direct millet consumption (food and/or brewed beverages made with millet), preliminary faunal evidence points to this C 4 contribution originating from the direct ingestion of millet and not from animals whose diets were supplemented by C 4 fodder.…”

“…Cooked vegetables regularly accompanied dishes of meat and fish during these periods. The most commonly mentioned vegetables in written medieval records included peas and cabbage, which could be made into sauerkraut for storage and later consumption during winter months (Badura et al, ; Dembińska, ; Żyromski, ). Root vegetables such as onions, beets, turnips, and parsnips are similarly mentioned in historic texts but also have been recovered from medieval archeological contexts at Gdańsk (Badura et al, ; Dembińska, ).…”

“…The most commonly mentioned vegetables in written medieval records included peas and cabbage, which could be made into sauerkraut for storage and later consumption during winter months (Badura et al, ; Dembińska, ; Żyromski, ). Root vegetables such as onions, beets, turnips, and parsnips are similarly mentioned in historic texts but also have been recovered from medieval archeological contexts at Gdańsk (Badura et al, ; Dembińska, ). Fruits were mentioned less frequently in historic Polish records due to their short growing season as a result of lengthy Polish winters, as well as their luxury status as a “dessert food” for the elite (Dembińska, ; Krenz‐Niedbała, ).…”

“…Fruits were mentioned less frequently in historic Polish records due to their short growing season as a result of lengthy Polish winters, as well as their luxury status as a “dessert food” for the elite (Dembińska, ; Krenz‐Niedbała, ). Apples, plums, cherries, and pears were cultivated, while the collection of wild berries including strawberries, bilberries, and currants also took place (Badura et al, ; Dembińska, ). High rates of scurvy in late medieval and postmedieval Europe suggest that fresh fruit was not regularly available to peasants and the poor working class, a trend which continued in Poland until the widespread adoption of the potato in the early to mid‐1800s (Hughes, ; Krenz‐Niedbała, ; Kuchowicz, ).…”