Guess Who's Coming for Dinner? Food, culture and molecules in medieval Sicily Martin Carver
Event details
Join us for a game of 'Who's coming for dinner?' and learn how science is rediscovering the diets of people living in the first millennium Mediterranean.
Chat to researchers from the University of York's BioArCh Laboratory and find out how they are deducing the diets and tastes of Sicily's many invaders using archaeozoology, paleobotany and biomolecular science. Play the game 'Who's coming to dinner?' devised by the team.
The event also includes an illustrated presentation by archaeologist Martin Carver on the research at Castronovo and an opporunity to taste samples of Sicilian recipes through the ages.
Based on research by the Universities of York, Rome and Lecce for the European Research Council, the event also features a short film about digging in Castronovo di Sicilia and an exhibition of recent work by our artist in residence.
Booking is required for the talk and tasting but all other events are drop-in.
What's on offer:
- Join us for a short film showing the beautiful landscape in central Sicily where the archaeologists are working. The film will be available on a loop to view from 10am to 12 noon. No booking required.
- Archaeologist Martin Carver will present an illustrated talk on the University's archaeological research in Sicily. From 12 noon to 1pm. Booking required.
- The BIOBOX: Scientists from BioArCh, a collaborative research facility formed by the Archaeology, Biology and Chemistry Departments at the University of York, will be on hand with displays to explain how they investigate the past. Find out what researchers have found in cooking pots and jugs, what Sicilians ate and what their animals were like. 10am to 1pm. No booking required.
- Catch the exhibition of the project's artist in residence, Laura Elias, who is making archaeology look beautiful. 10am to 1pm. No booking required.
- Try some famous dishes from Sicily after listening to archaeologist Martin Carver's talk. From 12 noon to 1pm. Ticketed with the talk (please see above).
About the speakers
Martin Carver is an Emeritus Profesor at the Univeristy of York and was Head of Archaeology at York from 1986 to 1996. He has directed archaeological research in England, Scotland, France, Italy and Algeria and has authored or edited 20 books.
Léa Drieu is a post doctoral researcher in biochemistry at the University of York investigating what was carried in amphorae.
Jasmine Lundy, Alice Ughi and Aurore Monnereau are second year PhD students at the University of York examining pots and people in BioArCh.
Veronica Aniceti is a third year PhD student at the University of Sheffield, pioneering the study of animals in early medieval Sicily.
Louis Carver is a set and costume designer in London who also makes films.
Laura Elias is an artist and prop maker at the National Theatre.
Exploring the Archaeology of Regime Change: Sicily in Transition
Find out more about the five-year research project which is explored through these inter-related events at www.sicilyintransition.org.
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