SC - Butchering

[Uduido at aol.com]

In a message dated 97-06-30 18:18:32 EDT, you write:

<< Exactly how widespread were butchering equipment and knowhow in medieval
 Europe?  I've always assumed that both were nearly universal, but
 haven't really looked for evidence. >>

There is really no need to look up the "evidence". We tend to forget that
until the advent of electricity  in this century and the advent  of canning
in the 19th century people preserved foods in a more traditional manner for
10's of thousands of years.
Such is also the case for butchering. The advent of the suppermaket ( less
than 75 years) makes some of us think that meat comes all neatly packaged and
never do we give a tho't to the source. In extrapolating period culture
 every effort must be made to step away from the modern. There are no
similarities whatsoever between pre-20th century lifestyles and any
lifestyles occuring before then, in any way shape or form. To try and figure
out the cultures and lifestyles of past generations who did not have the
"wizardry" and "magic" that now have by comparing them to our culture is
ludicrous and irrelevant, IMHO.

Lord Ras