The most recent experimental archaeology meeting at Camp Virtus, near Cluj-Napoca, Romania, part of the "Labirinth through time" project, has partly envisaged the modelling of ancient-type loom weights. According to archaeological clay weights discovered on the territory of present-day Romania, we have created a series of tronconical weights, perforated in the upper part, that shall be integrated, subsequently, into a remake of an actual vertical weaving loom.
See HERE a brief presentation of weaving in Antiquity [in Romanian, but illustrated].
All pictures from the meeting held July 1st are available on our website HERE.
Last weekend we have cooked a remake of one of the cabbage recipes preserved in Apicius, in his De re coquinaria - using the Project Gutenberg online variant. The experiment is part of the cultural project "Labyrinth through time" implemented near Cluj-Napoca, in the heart of Transylvania. Though Apicius [aka the preserved ancient Roman recipes] is rather brief in his cooking indications - regarding temperatures, quantities and time requirements - we have adapted one of his cabbage recipes (Olus molle) to also include pork sausages. Our variant thus consisted of white cabbage, white wine, onions, seasonings (coriander, mint, pepper, salt, cumin etc.) and sausages slowly cooked in a cauldron over an open fire for around one hour. This method renders the cabbage soft and sweet, a bit spicy as well, and very tasty in combination with the sausages and white bread.
This year I am much involved in a cultural project entitled Labyrinth through time, partially funded by the National Cultural Fund Administration of Romania. Through this project my reenactment NGO from Cluj, Virtus Antiqua, plans to organize up to 15 meetings of experimental archaeology and living history this summer with families of volunteers and a final event in the autumn, reconstructing a true labyrinth "inhabited" by antique reenactors. Camp Virtus is our historical entertainment park near Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
The first meetings have been documented already on YouTube, through the project's specific channel:
Roman banquet and dessert, a game of archaeology, bow and arrow target practice and a display of gladiators:
The reconstruction of an ancient Roman bread oven:
The second meeting - a game for the senses, an ancient Roman recipe, and the reconstruction of the oven: The first meeting, recruitment, and an ancient Roman snack: Read more about the project (in Romanian) HERE. Join the project as volunteer together with members of your family - read the conditions (in Romanian) HERE. For updates follow our Facebook Page Camp Virtus.
