Feeding Karanis

The site of Karanis, a farming town in Roman Egypt, was excavated by the University of Michigan from 1924-35, initially under the direction of Francis Kelsey himself. The Michigan excavations took a great - and for that time unusual - interest in the 'daily life' of this ancient farming town. As a result, many humble, food-related items were carefully brought back to Ann Arbor and stored in the Kelsey Museum. Under the Roman empire (ca.1st -5th century AD), Karanis was a small agriculturally based community, whose people farmed to keep themselves alive. They were obligated, however, to feed others as well. Grain grown at Karanis was regularly shipped far away - for example to supply the needs of Rome, the imperial capital.