The Macellum | Tavola Shop

Old School Cooking Tools

Your one-stop online-shop for edible archaeology, kitchen gadgets, and culinary tools designed to encourage you, your friends, and your family to cook it old school and celebrate the culinary cultural heritage of ancient Rome!

Buyers in the USA can now order many of these products at a discount via Goldbelly here: Pistrinum by Tavola Mediterranea

Jump To:

The Signaculum 79 Roman Bread Stamp | The COVID Curse Tablet Rolling Pin | Cuneiform Gingerbread Rolling Pin — The Cadillac | The Epic’ Cuneiform Rolling Pin: The Epic of Gilgamesh – Yale Tablet – Column 5 | ‘The Epic’ Cuneiform Rolling Pin: The Epic of Gilgamesh – Yale Tablet – Column 1 | Pompeiian Linen Bread-Bag (4 colours available) | Panis Quadratus Wheel-Press | Clam Shell Biscuit Press

‘The Signaculum 79’ Roman Bread Stamp

Has your local Roman baker given you a spelt loaf again when he knew damn well that your bread was made of wheat? Are you tired of getting your neighbour’s bread instead of your own? Is community baking making you wish you had a fixed or portable hearth of your own? Fear not, carissima, your bread woes are officially over with… ‘The Signaculum 79’ Roman Bread Stamp!

With the Signaculum 79, you can now stamp your homemade loaves of bread just as the ancient Romans without cooking facilities did when they took bread dough to be baked at their local commercial or community bakery. Signacula (stamp seals) were commonly used for stamping bricks, pottery, and bread in ancient Rome. For bread-making, it is assumed that they were used to mark bread prior to baking to distinguish ownership in communal settings or to tell urban pistores, and other customers alike, which breads belonged to which people.

Panis Quadratus loaf of bread stamped with a Signaculum (bread stamp) excavated from Herculaneum
Panis Quadratus loaf of bread stamped with a signaculum (bread stamp) excavated from Herculaneum

That’s right! Now you can stamp your bread and eat it too! The Signaculum 79 stamps and presses, labels and stresses to every Roman from Pompeii to Pergamon that this is your loaf of bread and to get their sweaty hands off of it!

Cast in the Empire’s best smithies, this fashionable instrumentum domesticum comes in two stunning varieties: one with a knob handle, to store in your pantry, and one to wear around your neck, if you’re headed out on campaign.

Don’t delay, carissima. Be the first in your insula to own a Signaculum 79 today and tell that pesky pistor where to stick his loaf of spelt!

The Signaculum 79 Roman Bread Stamp by Tavola Mediterraneap
‘The Signaculum 79’ Roman Bread Stamp by Tavola Mediterranea

Price: $84.99 – $94.99 depending on shipping destination.

Shipping: When purchasing, please select shipping to North America, Asia or Europe. Shipping within the USA includes tracking and insurance. If you’re in another region outside what’s listed above, let us know and we’ll calculate shipping! Unfortunately, Tavola Shop isn’t shipping to Australia and New Zealand at this time due to USPS suspension of shipping services to the islands. Check this link often for the USPS suspension status. https://about.usps.com/newsroom/service-alerts/international/welcome.htm

Materials: The stamp is made of brass and features the abbreviated inscription of Tavola Mediterranea (Tav•Med) and an icon on a panis quadratus loaf, which associates the signaculum with bread use.

Washing instructions: Do not wash the signaculum in the dishwasher. Hand-wash only with warm water, mild soap, and towel dry immediately. Olive oil may be used as a protective coating.

Pre-orders: If supplies sell out, pre-orders will be taken with quick production turn around!

Handle Type and Destination

The COVID Curse Tablet Rolling Pin

A pestilence is sweeping our land. It’s time to take the bull by the horns, Roman-style, with a gingerbread curse tablet that appeals not only to the gods but to your sweet tooth as well! Click here to read more about this pin.

Curse like a Roman: The COVID Curse Tablet Rolling Pin
Curse like a Roman: The COVID Curse Tablet Rolling Pin
Curse like a Roman: The COVID Curse Tablet Rolling Pin
Curse like a Roman: The COVID Curse Tablet Rolling Pin

Currently in stock! Pre-orders are available if current stock sells out! Get your curse on and make this tablet the centerpiece of your holiday table this year! 

Item plus Shipping

Cuneiform Gingerbread Rolling Pin – The Cadillac

They’re in!! And they’re gorgeous!! This is the Cadillac of cuneiform rolling pins, folks! This new design is the inverted version of the first model that results in the correct impression on the dough face with the glyphs being impressed into the gingerbread dough, and not embossed. Even the British Museum won’t be able to tell the difference between their tablets and your gingerbread after using this old-school technology!

Cuneiform Gingerbread Rolling Pin | Tavola Mediterranea
Cuneiform Gingerbread Rolling Pin | Tavola Mediterranea

It’s Christmas in Mesopotamia! Bake like a Babylonian and make the internet’s most popular Christmas biscuit with this custom-designed cuneiform gingerbread rolling pin exclusively available through Tavola Mediterranea. Buy one for the archaeologist, linguist, or historian in the family and keep them out of your hair for weeks to come! …or buy it for yourself and add some ancient writing systems to your baking repertoire! 

This cuneiform rolling pin measures 20 cm in length and is designed for making a large gingerbread tablet. Each rolling pin comes with a complimentary gingerbread recipe card that is derived from the original internet-breaking Cuneiform Gingerbread Tablet recipe that was published on Tavola Mediterranea in 2017. It will be mailed separately, though, as it does not fit in the box!

Instructions for use can be found in this post: https://tavolamediterranea.com/2017/12/09/edible-archaeology-gingerbread-cuneiform-tablets/

Pre-orders are available if current stock sells out! Get your Gilgamesh on and make this epic biscuit the centre-piece of your holiday table this year! 

Item plus Shipping


‘The Epic’ Cuneiform Rolling Pin: The Epic of Gilgamesh – Yale Tablet – Column 5

‘THE EPIC’ Cuneiform Rolling Pin: The Epic of Gilgamesh. Bring a bit of Babylonia to the holiday table this December and produce the world’s earliest known surviving work of literature on gingerbread! C’mon, Enkidu, it’ll be totally epic!

It’s Christmas in Mesopotamia! Bake like a Babylonian and make the internet’s most popular Christmas biscuit with this custom-designed cuneiform gingerbread rolling pin exclusively available through Tavola Mediterranea. Buy one for the archaeologist, linguist, or historian in the family and keep them out of your hair for weeks to come! …or buy it for yourself and add some cuneiform to your baking repertoire!

The pin-face of this rolling pin features Column 5 – lines 186-200 from the Epic of Gilgamesh — a Mesopotamian epic poem which is the earliest known surviving work of literature. The image/text is derived from The Yale Tablet of The Epic of Gilgamesh, pictured below, which was sectioned into columns and lines during translation by Morris Jastrow Jr., University of Pennsylvania, and Albert T. Clay, Ph.D, Yale University, in the 1920s.

The Epic of Gilgamesh – The Yale Tablet

The lines read:

I am determined to lure (him) in the cedar (forest).
A name I will establish.”
The elders of Erech of the plazas
brought word to Gish:
“Thou art young, O Gish, and thy heart carries thee away.
Thou dost not know what thou proposest to do.
We hear that Huwawa is enraged.
Who has ever opposed his weapon?
To one [double hour] in the heart of the forest,
Who has ever penetrated into it?
?uwawa, whose roar is a deluge,
whose mouth is fire, whose breath is death.
Why dost thou desire to do this?
To advance towards the dwelling (?) of ?uwawa?”
Gish heard the report of his counsellors.

Source: An Old Babylonian Version of the Gilgamesh Epic, by Anonymous, Edited by Morris Jastrow, Translated by Albert T. Clay

This cuneiform rolling pin measures 20 cm in length and is designed for making a large gingerbread tablet. It creates an embossed impression of the symbols, rather than an impressed one (we’re working on that)… but you’ll still be the coolest baker in the bunch so no worries! Each rolling pin comes with a complimentary gingerbread recipe card that is derived from the original internet-breaking Cuneiform Gingerbread Tablet recipe that was published on Tavola Mediterranea in 2017. It will be mailed separately, though, as it does not fit in the box!

This rolling pin creates a cuneiform impression and will roll the glyphs on to the gingerbread dough beautifully, without sticking or pulling the dough up, if you work with the dough chilled and dust a bit of flour on the pin or dough surface prior to rolling. Don’t forget to use the Tavola gingerbread recipe and baking instructions for this pin as the dough is firm and will hold the impressions beautifully during baking.

Pre-orders are available if current stock sells out! Get your Gilgamesh on and make this epic biscuit the centre-piece of your holiday table this year! Note: this roller creates an embossed script as opposed to an impressed one.

Item plus Shipping


‘The Epic’ Cuneiform Rolling Pin: The Epic of Gilgamesh – Yale Tablet – Column 1

‘THE EPIC’ Cuneiform Rolling Pin: The Epic of Gilgamesh. Bring a bit of Babylonia to the holiday table this December and produce the world’s earliest known surviving work of literature on gingerbread! C’mon, Enkidu, it’ll be totally epic!

'The Epic' Cuneiform Rolling Pin: The Epic of Gilgamesh Tablet - Yale Tablet - Column 5
‘The Epic’ Cuneiform Rolling Pin: The Epic of Gilgamesh Tablet – Yale Tablet – Column 1

It’s Christmas in Mesopotamia! Bake like a Babylonian and make the internet’s most popular Christmas biscuit with this custom-designed cuneiform gingerbread rolling pin exclusively available through Tavola Mediterranea. Buy one for the archaeologist, linguist, or historian in the family and keep them out of your hair for weeks to come! …or buy it for yourself and add some cuneiform to your baking repertoire!

The pin-face of this rolling pin features Column 1 – lines 1-23 from the Epic of Gilgamesh — a Mesopotamian epic poem which is the earliest known surviving work of literature. The image/text is derived from The Yale Tablet of The Epic of Gilgamesh, pictured below, which was sectioned into columns and lines during translation by Morris Jastrow Jr., University of Pennsylvania, and Albert T. Clay, Ph.D, Yale University, in the 1920s.

The Epic of Gilgamesh – The Yale Tablet

The lines read:

1-10…………………………….

……………… (my friend?)
[Something] that is exceedingly difficult,
[Why] dost thou desire
[to do this?]
…. something (?) that is very [difficult (?)],
[Why dost thou] desire
[to go down to the forest]?
A message [they carried] among [men]
They carried about.
They made a ….
………….. they brought
…………………………
…………………………

Source: An Old Babylonian Version of the Gilgamesh Epic, by Anonymous, Edited by Morris Jastrow, Translated by Albert T. Clay

This cuneiform rolling pin measures 20 cm in length and is designed for making a large gingerbread tablet. Each rolling pin comes with a complimentary gingerbread recipe card that is derived from the original internet-breaking Cuneiform Gingerbread Tablet recipe that was published on Tavola Mediterranea in 2017. It will be mailed separately, though, as it does not fit in the box!

This rolling pin will roll the impression on to the gingerbread dough beautifully, without sticking or pulling the dough up, if you work with the dough chilled and dust a bit of flour on the pin or dough surface prior to rolling. See the images below for the end result! Don’t forget to use the Tavola gingerbread recipe and baking instructions for this pin as the dough is firm and will hold the impressions beautifully during baking.

Pre-orders are available if current stock sells out! Get your Gilgamesh on and make this epic biscuit the centre-piece of your holiday table this year! Note: this roller creates an embossed script as opposed to an impressed one.

Item plus Shipping

Pompeiian Linen Bread-Bag (4 colours available)

Store your breads using a custom Pompeii-inspired organic, linen bread-bag. These bags will keep your bread from going stale and will also prevent mould from growing. The weave of the fabric holds just enough moisture in to keep the bread fresh for days but also allows some air in to keep mould from growing, You will never use a bread-box or plastic bread bags again.

Made from pre-washed European Linen that is dyed and finished in North America. This linen has a beautiful texture with a very subtle sheen.

Each bag has been pre-shrunk and can be machine washed on a cold gentle cycle. Line dry or tumble dry on low. If desired, iron on linen setting with the bag inside out.

This bag measures at:
12 1/2″ X 11 3/4″ X 5

Pompeiian Linen Bread Bags | Tavola Mediterranea
Custom Pompeiian Linen Bread Bags | Tavola Mediterranea – $39.99
Colours and Shipping

Panis Quadratus Wheel-Press

As seen in the recipe for Panis Quadratus. This bread wheel-press is a wonderful tool for bakers, teachers, kids and students. Use it at home or for school baking projects! The wheel creates even wedges and the centre-cavity without having to use string, dowels, knives or reeds. The wheel-press is easy to use, hand-crafted, food-safe and is made of untreated wood. Please hand-wash only with warm water. Do not put the wheel in the dishwasher!

Panis Quadratus Bread Press Wheel (Patent Pending)
Panis Quadratus Bread Press Wheel (Patent Pending) – $39.99 + shipping

Item plus shipping costs


Clam Shell Biscuit Press

As seen in the recipe for Hypotrimma with Defrutum Glazed Spelt Biscuits. Biscuit press comes with a complimentary Tavola recipe card for use with the item!

Clam Shell Spelt Biscuits with Defrutum Glaze
Clam Shell Biscuit Press – $9.99 + Shipping
Item Plus Shipping Costs

If you have any questions about the items offered for sale through the Tavola shop, feel free to email: [email protected]