Setting the table in 18th century La Bisbal

Pottery in the vault of the Convent of Saint Sebastian

In early September 2002, during restoration of the convent of Saint Sebastian in La Bisbal, the filling of two vaults in the former novices' rooms was emptied. During the excavation, a large amount of pottery used to fill the space inside the spandrels was discovered.

The recovered pottery is clearly divided into two main groups, each one related to one of the vaults, which were filled at two different periods. One of them is dated with certainty to the late 18th century-early 19th century thanks to the appearance of some pieces with dates; the other group would be earlier, very probably from the mid-18th century.

Most of the recipients found have defects that make them unusable for their original purpose (rejects), caused by imperfections occurring in the potter's workshop during firing or when removing the items from the kiln. Another group (with much fewer pieces) corresponds to recipients worn by use, with clear signs of aging.

Description of the pottery

The pottery found in the convent vaults stands out for its heterogeneity. The number of pieces, the variety of shapes and the uses they represent reflect routine household activities and bear witness to the importance and daily use made of these recipients at the time. We find recipients used for cooking, others used to prepare food, or for serving and eating, or to keep the food hot. There are also recipients with spouts for drinking, both at the table and in the fields, and others used to store food in the pantry or in the kitchen, and others for handling the stored products; there are even recipients specifically for personal hygiene. Materials used for building and pieces used to perform a work activity are also present.

This exhibition shows pieces related to domestic tableware which, taken together, offer a magnificent example of how tables were laid in La Bisbal in the second half of the 18th century.