Archaeological data on cheese production in the Roman period and Late Antiquity in the Central Balkans

This contribution aims to shed light on a crucial food source for the communities inhabiting the territory of the present-day Republic of Serbia, in the Central Balkans, during the Roman era and Late Antiquity, primarily focused on archaeological finds. In the archaeological material, the traces of cheese production are not just followed, but substantiated by finds of conical, cylindrical, and hemispherical clay moulds with perforations, in which the cheese-making process took place. The finds of strainers, as an important kitchen item in cheese processing, are also included in the analysis. To date, approximately 42 finds of these vessels have been recorded at 16 sites. The finds indicate that cheese was not only produced but also widely distributed, both in rural and in urban areas, as well as in military cooking areas within some fortifications. The preparation of cheese was present in all periods of the Roman Empire on the soil of the Central Balkans, with its roots in the autochthonous cultures of previous epochs.