Food and drink aboard Vasa
Hej, I'm a freelance journalist with a particular interest in food history, and I'm curious if there may be a potential story involving the food or drink on board the Vasa. I've read the "Life on Board" info, but I'd like to dig a little deeper. Is there someone I could reach out to about food-relating findings and research? Tack så mycket!
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Yes, food and drink is an interesting subject. And since there are both archaeological finds and written documents, there is a lot to dig in to.
Here you will get some examples and hints, for a start.
The document concerning the distribusion of provisions between the ships, is still preserved. You can find it as a link to a PDF, on the Swedish webbpage for schools, half way down: https://www.vasamuseet.se/skola/i-klassrummet/mat-ombord
"Proviantsräkningen" though in old swedish, it is readable:
In the column to the left you see the name Wasan and the other columns above specifies the amount of:
brödh (bread), skipsööl (ship beer), kiöt (meat) och torfisk (dry fish), ströming (herring), saltt (salt), erter (peas), for every ship.
More examples:
- Photos on artifacts are all digitaly published: https://www.vasamuseet.se/en/collections/search-the-collection
- The animal bones are identified
- The difference between the crew and the commanders food equipment is obvious: Wood/pottery versus fayance/glass/silver/pewter. As shown in the exhibition "Life on board".
- Some kind of alcohol is found in a pewter bottle, in the captains cabin.
- One question that have been discussed during the years is whether a collection of artifacts belonged to the chef or the barber surgeon.
- One of the bricks from the galley had an unexpected but lovely detail: https://www.vasamuseet.se/en/collections/find-in-focus/brick-with-animal-footprint
So, some facts are generic and Vasa is one among all Swedish warships, and some facts are specific to Vasa.But of coruse, in the 30 minutes she sailed nothing went as usual. But the ship was prepared and loaded as normal.
A lot of this is written in books and articles in English. I can help you find them later, depending on the aspects or detail levels you get interested in.
Good luck with your research!