Aspects of Floriana’s eighteenth-century foodscape

Abstract

This paper explores the socio-economic and spatial developments of Floriana during the eighteenth century through the lens of its foodscape. Focusing on how food and water infrastructure facilitated demographic growth and urban identity, the study examines the role of water reserves (such as the Wignacourt aqueduct), licensed food operators (taverns, animal sellers, bakers, and food hawkers), and bread production systems. Utilizing historical court records from the Magna Curia Castellanæ and Libri Carcerati, it also highlights peripheral socio-cultural practices, including food smuggling, organized grain thefts, local food production, and early agricultural curiosities like the introduction of the potato. Ultimately, the paper demonstrates how food distribution, regulation, and consumption transformed Floriana from a suburban enclave into a self-sustaining, vibrant urban settlement.