In this special “Strat Chat” edition of The Archaeology Show, we dig into the layers of history behind “pi” and “pie” in honor of episode 314. First, we explore the origins of fruit pies, tracing their journey from ancient Egyptian tombs to medieval feasts and early American kitchens. Next, we unravel the story of the number pi (π), highlighting how ancient civilizations discovered and used this mathematical constant in everything from monuments to pottery. Finally, we bite into the history of meat pies, uncovering their role in ancient diets and how they evolved into a global comfort food. Join us for a flavorful journey through time, where archaeology and culinary history meet in every slice!
Pie: A Global History by Janet Clarkson
The Forme of Cury (14th-century English cookbook)
British Museum: Archaeology of Ancient Egypt
York Archaeological Trust: Medieval Kitchens
Food in Medieval England by C.M. Woolgar
Smithsonian Magazine: The History of Pie in America
A History of British Baking by Emma Kay
Archaeobotanical Studies at the British Museum
Sugar and Sweetness by Sidney Mintz
Rhind Mathematical Papyrus – British Museum
Archimedes’ “Measurement of a Circle”
Mathematical Treatise in Nine Sections (Zu Chongzhi)
A History of Pi by Petr Beckmann
The Symbol π and William Jones
Mathematics in Ancient Egypt by Annette Imhausen
The Archaeology of Measurement by Iain Morley
Sacred Geometry by Robert Lawlor
Pi in Popular Culture – Life of Pi
Archaeological Discovery of Mathematical Tools
Food in Ancient Egypt by Delwen Samuel
The Englishman’s Food by Drummond & Wilbraham
Food in Medieval England by C.M. Woolgar
Sing a Song of Sixpence – Nursery Rhyme Origins
Archaeology at Pompeii – Food Remains
The Cornish Pasty by Gillian Hogg
Pie: A Global History by Janet Clarkson
Archaeozoology at the British Museum
Pie: A Savor the South Cookbook by Sara Foster
Tourtière – Canadian Encyclopedia
Victorian Pie Shops – Museum of London
Meat Pies in Literature – Sweeney Todd
Chris Webster
chris@archaeologypodcastnetwork.com
Rachel Roden
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