Archaeologists have uncovered evidence that ancient Romans consumed songbirds as everyday street food, challenging long-held beliefs that these delicacies were reserved for elite banquets.
The discovery at a 2,000-year-old fast-food establishment in Pollentia, Mallorca, revealed an extensive collection of thrush bones in a refuse pit outside what researchers identify as a "popina" - a Roman equivalent of a modern café.
The excavation of the 13-foot-deep cesspit yielded 165 thrush bones amongst remains of fish, pigs, rabbits and other animals, dating from between 10 BCE and 30 CE.
The bone fragments displayed a distinctive pattern, consisting primarily of skulls, breastbones, wings and legs, whilst the meatier portions were notably absent.
This selective disposal pattern indicated kitchen waste rather than natural accumulation, according to the study published in the International Journal of Osteoarchaeology.
Researchers believe the thrushes were prepared using a standardised method suited to commercial food service.
The sternum bones were removed to flatten the breast, allowing for rapid cooking - likely by frying whole in olive oil.
This spatchcocking technique would have enabled street vendors to serve customers quickly, optimising their operations for the bustling commercial district near Pollentia's forum.
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Animal bones were found inhe city of Pollentia
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Alejandro Valenzuela, a researcher at the Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies in Mallorca, said the findings show "thrushes were widely consumed, forming part of the everyday diet and urban food economy".
Drawing on personal experience with local culinary traditions in Mallorca, where song thrushes are still occasionally eaten, Valenzuela told Live Science: "I can say from personal experience that their flavour is more akin to small game birds like quail than to chicken."
The researcher suggested the birds may have been "presented on skewers or sticks for easier handling" in the street food context.
They added that "street food was a fundamental component of the urban [Roman] experience".
A Roman bridge at Pollentia
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The discovery challenges previous assumptions that songbirds were exclusive to elite Roman banquets, as classical sources such as Pliny the Elder, had described elaborate preparations involving milk-cakes and spice stuffing for wealthy diners.
Instead, the Pollentia findings reveal these birds were accessible at each level of society.
Thrushes migrated to Mallorca during winter months, suggesting seasonal availability on street food menus.
Study authors wrote that "the findings from Pollentia contribute to ongoing discussions about the diversity of Roman dietary habits, emphasising the role of street food economies beyond the elite sphere".
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