A mosaic showing the catch of fish
Ancient Romans used lead pipes to store fresh food. We now know that this is just one of many examples of Roman engineering genius. More specifically, it’s a fish tank.
The idea of transporting food over long distances is relatively modern. Any meat, without proper chilling, will rot and it is difficult to put freezing/cooling equipment on the vessels. Of course, you can use the natural way to keep meat fresh by transporting live animals.
For a long time, historians have argued that caught fish during the Roman period was eaten near the place of the catch. However, the shipwreck discovered in 1986 reveals an ingenious method of storing live fish over longer journeys across the Mediterranean.
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