Meat in the Urban Markets of the Medieval Maghrib and al-Andalus. Production, Exchange and consumption
Résumé
In the medieval Maghrib and al-Andalus, markets (aswāq, sing. sūq) were the commercial heart of the city. In the many shops of a market, one found a variety of merchants and artisans who came under the supervision of an inspector (muḥtasib or ṣāḥib al-sūq). At these markets, meat was an important commodity which was sold both raw and in prepared dishes. This paper examines the place of meat in urban food markets through an analysis of the commercial networks and the organization of supply, from animal vendors to professional cooks. The analysis focuses on economic, social and religious aspects based on textual documentation (legal, culinary and geographical) and zooarchaeological data.