A glirarium exhibited at the National Archaeological Museum in Chiusi.

A glirarium is a terracotta container used for keeping edible dormice. These animals were considered a delicacy in the Etruscan period and later in the Roman Empire.[1][2]

Description

The container consists of a vessel, usually in terracotta, perforated to allow the passage of air, polished on the inside to prevent escape and with a lid to seal the top. Inside there are two or more shelves placed against the vessel walls and additional holes in the bottom of the vessel, generally more numerous than those on the sides.[2] By inducing hibernation via darkness and confinement, the glirarium would cause the dormouse to fatten.[1][2]

References

  1. 1 2 Thayer, William P. (17 June 2011). "Glirarium (translation of Daremberg & Saglio's, Dictionnaire des antiquités grecques et romaines, Librairie Hachette et Cie., Paris, 1877‑1919.)". LacusCurtius. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 Martin, James (11 April 2011). "Pots for the Gourmet Who Has Everything (Else)". Wandering Italy (blog). Retrieved 15 November 2015.
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