SC - Byzantine Bread Stamps

[Philip & Susan Troy]

"Decker, Terry D." wrote:
> 
> While I would expect wafers due to modern usage, this does not rule out the
> possibility of small loaves of bread for use in a Medieval Communion
> service.

True. As you mentioned, there's no reference for scale in the photos,
and I have seen leavened bread used in some communion services in
various denominations, including both Greek and Russian Orthodox.

Here's a thought. Anthimus speaks of fine leavened bread being served
hot from the pan. I suppose it's possible that some liturgical bread was
made in pans, using the stampy-things as a sort of cloche that would
double as a mold. Bear, have you seen the Basque bread recipe in one of
the Jeff Smith books? Wonderful stuff, baked in a Dutch oven _in_ the
oven, and the loaf assumed the shape of the Dutch oven, right down to
the little basting ridges under the lid. Now, notice that the
stampy-things have a flange running around the edges that might be
designed to fit as a lid for another vessel...

Since we're speculatin', an' a', an' a'...

Adamantius
- -- 
Phil & Susan Troy

troy at asan.com