Elite food between the late Middle Ages and Renaissance: some case studies from Latium

The study of plant and animal remains from archaeological sites provides important evidences on past human diet: these include species selection, food preparation practices, consumption, and discard; furthermore, information on social status may also be inferred from organic materials recovered during archaeological excavations. Data from some elite residences, two in Northern Latium (Celleno and Graffignano) and one in Rome (Ss.Quattro Coronati complex), allow to explore, using archaeobotanical, zooarchaeological as well as genetic data, different ways people used to express wealth by means of food between the late Middle Ages and Renaissance