Food & Beverage
Ancient Pompeii fast food: 'Fava beans with your snails, sir?'
Snails, ground fava beans, pork and wine were staples of the 2,000-year-old fast-food stalls uncovered in Ancient Pompeii.
December 28, 2020
Fast-food stalls uncovered in eerily accurate detail by archaeologists working on the remains of the ancient city of Pompeii are just beginning to yield details about our fast-food past. It seems ancient Romans were not that far removed from ourselves in their get-it-and-go gastronomic preferences, according to CNN.
Pompeii, just outside of current-day Naples, and its 13,000 residents, were buried in a massive volcanic eruption in 79 AD. For decades now, historians and archaeologist have been chipping away at the covering of lava, dust, ash and rocks to uncover spectacular "frozen-in-time" remains of the ancient city and the people who lived there.
Recently, food stalls have been excavated with some revealing full-color paintings of the types of animals served at the booths. One includes a bright yellow, a similar shade used today in fast-food branding.
Scientists also found containers of uneaten food, including snails, ground fava beans, fish, pork, beef and fava beans. About 80 stalls appeared to have been offering food to go, which are known in ancient Pompeii archaeologist speak individually as "thermopolium."
Stalls featured counters for service and transactions, as well as containers for hot foods similar to those used for soup on modern-day salad bars. There were even pictures on the stalls of dogs on leashes, seen as a reminder to customers to restrain their pets.
