I suspect that you’re right that these are just recesses that have a patina from being unscrubbable, and that oil pools in the indentations and when heated expands to lubricate the pan (much as I suspect it did on the ancient equivalents).

Among the comparanda people have mentioned in email are pans for roasting chestnuts, paella pans, and Ethiopian pans for making injera (flatbread). Presumably, in any case, the indentations are to prevent sticking.

And yes – I think I want one too.

Best,

Julie

Julie Hruby

Assistant Professor of Classics

Dartmouth College

HB 6086

Hanover, NH 03755

(603) 646-2910

From: <Burns>, Peter <[log in to unmask]>
Reply-To: "Burns, Peter" <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Thursday, August 28, 2014 at 4:38 PM
To: "[log in to unmask]" <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: [ANCIENT-FOOD-TECH] Griddles, a reprise

My take on this that grease/oil is retained in the indentations and releases just enough to lubricate.
I think I want one of these.
Peter

Peter Burns
Zooarchaeology Laboratory
Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology
Harvard University
11 Divinity Avenue
Cambridge,MA 02138 USA
Phone: 617-495-8317

From: Cooking technologies of ancient Mediterranean cultures. [[log in to unmask]] on behalf of Ralph Hancock [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Thursday, August 28, 2014 4:34 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Griddles, a reprise

Are the holes in the bottom of this thing simply recesses which have acquired a black patina from being unscrubbable, or do they communicate with a space underneath that might be filled with boiling oil?

To unsubscribe from the ANCIENT-FOOD-TECH list, click the following link:
http://listserv.dartmouth.edu/scripts/wa.exe?TICKET=NzM1NTAzIHBnYnVybnNARkFTLkhBUlZBUkQuRURVIEFOQ0lFTlQtRk9PRC1URUNIIHxtjRckaaPx&c=SIGNOFF

To unsubscribe from the ANCIENT-FOOD-TECH list, click the following link:
http://listserv.dartmouth.edu/scripts/wa.exe?TICKET=NzM1NTAzIEp1bGllLkEuSHJ1YnlAREFSVE1PVVRILkVEVSBBTkNJRU5ULUZPT0QtVEVDSO7jpQuLa2wR&c=SIGNOFF