Roman commercial goods
After their conquest of the Alpine regions the Romans brought their culture into today’s Grisons. Previously unknown consumer goods found their way north and subsequently became part of peoples’ lifestyles (at least of the upper classes). Can you guess which of the following goods we owe to the Romans?
Correct. Glass wares were a «must have» on well-to-do Roman tables. Apart from drinking bowls the Romans produced carafes, small bottles, and even window panes from glass. Small bottles, bowls, and drinking glasses from Roman times were discovered as burial objects in the Grisons.
Drawing: Raetian Museum
Correct. Wine was one of the most sought-after Roman imports, brought northwards from the entire Mediterranean area. Along with their land conquests, the cultivation of wine also spread over wide areas of Europe. Romans normally drank their wine mixed with water.
Drawing: Raetian Museum
False. Locally produced ceramics wares were already widely in use in the Alpine regions since the New Stone Age. Yet the Romans also imported their own characteristic red ceramics called Terra Sigillata. Produced by the millions in large manufacturing sites in today’s Italy, France or Germany, they were sold all over the Roman Empire.
Drawing: Raetian Museum
True. Oyster shells from Roman times were found in Chur – an astonishing fact considering the long distances from the sea all the way to the Grisons. Yet the Romans understood how to transport oysters over long distances – whether alive or already preserved – in saltwater-filled amphorae.
Drawing: Raetian Museum
Correct. Highly appreciated in Roman cuisine, olive oil has been produced widely all over the Mediterranean –hence a popular import product. Only the well-off were able to afford it, however. The majority of the populace continued to cook using animal fats.
Drawing: Raetian Museum
Wrong. Tomatoes originate from the Americas and only reached Europe in the 16th century. Initially used as ornamental plants, they were appreciated as food only at a later stage. It wasn’t until the late 18th century when pasta with tomato sauce became an everyday household dish in Italy.
Drawing: Raetian Museum
Correct. Thanks to the Romans peaches came to be enjoyed in today’s Grisons. Pips found by archaeologists attest to this. Before that, peaches only grew south of the Alps. Under the Romans, fruit-growing began to develop all over their empire.
Drawing: Raetian Museum
False. Amber from the Baltic regions was already a precious product as early as the Bronze Age in the Grisons, as demonstrated by various finds. It remained an equally popular luxury item with the Romans who manufactured amber jewellery, amulets, or vessels.
Drawing: Raetian Museum