Material culture and the structuring of meals in the 17th century

the case of the Galeão Sacramento, 1668, Bahia

Abstract

The publication discuss the possibility of structured meals occurring in colonial Bahia through the analysis of tableware that was recovered in the Galeão Santíssimo Sacramento area. The analysis focuses on the morphology and probable functions of faience pieces, ceramics whose function was to serve and support food consumption, as well as other artifacts made up of different raw materials. The morphological diversity observed in the material apparatus points to aspects of formalization, individualization and specialization, which helps to overcome the idea that the table in the colonial period had a reduced spectrum of objects and that meals would not be structured.