Roman Bread Oven
Although Bread Making is not my usual area of expertise the technology involved in creating a Roman Bread Oven is very similar to that employed in the construction of a Roman Pottery Kiln. For this reason Tyne & Wear Museums asked me to build a wood fired baking oven next to my La Tène III derived pottery kiln at Segedunum Roman Fort and Bath House in Wallsend, Tyne & Wear. The Oven was constructed on a masonry and rubble base, using hazel withies as an integral former for the slay dome. The baking floor of the oven is made up of sandstone flags and the exterior of the oven is finished with a layer of plaster..
The oven works on the preheating principal whereby a wood fire is lit inside the baking chamber and the whole structure is thoroughly heated for several hours. In order to bake the fire is raked out and the floor of the oven swept, the prepared dough being placed directly onto the heated flagstones. I have used this oven several times now and it has proved successful on every occasion.
