Cereals and bread have been staple foods since the Neolithic Age. During antiquity, the bakery trade, especially in the larger cities, developed into complex production operations, some of which involved the division of labour, as baking was no longer necessarily done at home. The production process of baked goods was depicted many times, especially in Roman art. Reliefs or wall paintings bear witness to the importance of this craft and the pride of the bakers. Even on small-format objects, individual steps in the bread-making process can be found, as on this gem.
The donkey mill, in which the millstone was no longer driven by human physical strength, has been attested since the 2nd century BC. It was mainly used on large estates and in urban pistrinae that combined milling and baking. (AVS)
Former August Kestner Collection, Rome
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