Ceramic Organization in the Spanish Atlantic (COSA)

“Ceramic Organization in the Spanish Atlantic (COSA)” presents the vessel-based classification system for Spanish ceramics, Ceramic Organization in the Spanish Atlantic (COSA) that was developed for this study. Using a combination of texts and archaeological evidence, the chapter describes twenty-five vessel forms commonly referenced in early modern texts and found in contemporary Spanish and Spanish-American houses. These descriptions are accompanied by line drawings depicting the images so as to make the system useful for other scholars working on similar sites. In addition to COSA, this chapter discusses the discrepancies between Spanish and American ceramic classification systems and the benefits of using a vessel-based system that offers an emic (user-ascribed) perspective and provides insights into the uses and purposes of archaeologically recovered artifacts.

A Changing Spanish Identity

“A Changing Spanish Identity” outlines the research questions and data sets discussed in Setting the Table by introducing the notion of early modern Spanish cultural identity and the changes it encountered in the eighteenth century. It explains the author’s use of Don Quixote as a guide through the study and why this quintessential Spanish novel is appropriate for exploring themes of cultural change and identity. The chapter argues that, despite the major role the Spanish Empire played in early modern history, it has been largely underrepresented in studies of the Atlantic world. The majority of the chapter contains a brief introduction to the three sites addressed in the study as well as the methodology used to investigate these sites. The chapter concludes with an outline of subsequent chapters.

Conclusions

This chapter concludes Setting the Table and summarizes the argument that individuals on both sides of the Atlantic were participating in developing a Spanish-Atlantic identity that amalgamated Spanish heritage with new ideas and goods from other parts of Europe, Asia, and the Americas. It emphasizes that Spain and Spanish America were closely connected as late as the eighteenth century and that Spanish Americans continued to look to Spain as a model for fashion and culture. The chapter argues that data from the St. Augustine sites suggest that traditional interpretations of status and displays of Spanish identity need to be reevaluated in light of changing fashions in eighteenth-century Spain and the similarities between eighteenth-century Spanish and Spanish-American sites. It also contends that the transition away from traditional stews and the possible adoption of French culinary techniques by middle class Spaniards and elite Spanish Americans calls into question previous hypotheses regarding the impact of French culture on Spanish society after the advent of the Bourbon dynasty in 1700. Lastly, it considers other directions and ways in which this study could benefit those studying other parts of the Spanish empire.

La Calle Corredera, Jerez de la Frontera, Spain

“La Calle Corredera, Jerez de la Frontera, Spain” discusses the history and archaeology of Jerez de la Frontera in Andalucía, Spain and one of the three major data sets used in Setting the Table. The majority of the chapter focuses on one local eighteenth-century household site known as La Calle Corredera. It describes the artifacts from two mid eighteenth-century features, a well and trash receptacle, and the ceramics recovered from these deposits. Using COSA, this chapter examines the vessel forms that were discarded and argues that changes in tableware are indicative of broader changes in Spanish dining practices and the transition away from traditional stews toward a non-broth-based diet, possibly one that incorporated French cooking techniques.

Spanish Atlantic History and Culture

“Spanish-Atlantic History and Culture” provides a brief background on Spanish-Atlantic history and the connections between Andalucía, Spain, and the Americas. The first half of the chapter addresses trade and emigration policies between the late fifthteenth century and the eighteenth century and how these impacted life and local economies on both sides of the Atlantic. The second half of the chapter explores themes of status and identity, with a special focus on the Spanish limpieza de sangre (“pure blood”) and casta (caste or social status based on ancestry and biological characteristics) systems in which individuals were classified according to their ancestry and religious or biological background. It concludes with a discussion of Spanish identity and identity crises, specifically those in 1766, 1808, and 1898.

The Ponce de León and de Salas Households, St. Augustine, Florida

“The Ponce de León and de Salas Households, St. Augustine, Florida” discusses the history and archaeology of St. Augustine, Florida and two of the three major data sets used in Setting the Table. Specifically, it focuses on the households of two wealthy, mid eighteenth-century families: the Ponce de Leóns and the de Salases. The chapter provides biographical information on the families who owned and lived on these properties and describes the material that was recovered at their properties in later archaeological excavations. It focuses on the ceramics from three eighteenth-century deposits: the trash pit and well from the Ponce de León household and a well from the de Salas property. In comparing these sites, the data appears to contradict the traditional hypothesis that wealthy Spaniards in Spanish America would have owned and displayed a significant amount of Spanish and Spanish-American goods. The chapter argues instead that wealthy individuals in this Florida town were aware of and following fashions in Spain, many of which reflected broader trends in Europe and incorporated ideas, goods, and aesthetics from England, France, and elsewhere in Europe.

Expressing Spanish Atlantic Identity

Using the sites from Jerez de la Frontera and St. Augustine described in previous chapters as a case study, “Expressing Spanish-Atlantic Identity” explores the multi-directional nature of culture exchange in the Spanish Atlantic and how information and goods were flowing in both directions across the Atlantic. The chapter examines food preparation and foodways, how the advent of American ingredients transformed or were included in Spanish cuisine, and how French culinary techniques became widely adopted in the Spanish Atlantic. It also examines the ceramic trade, hygiene vessels, and tableware. Similarities among the three sites discussed in this study suggest that wide-spread changes in dining practices were being adopted on both sides of the Spanish Atlantic nearly simultaneously. This chapter argues that the nature and timing of these changes indicates that eighteenth-century Spanish America was perhaps more closely connected to Spain than previously thought.