After taking part in activities based on Roman lettering and numerals, members of the club prepared an ancient Roman recipe that was then cooked and tasted at home. 

The Gwynedd Young Archaeologists Club meets every month at the Gwynedd Museum & Art Gallery, Bangor to learn more about archaeology and local history.

As well as preparing the Roman recipe, the children learnt about how people wrote during the Roman period, looking at the Vindolanda tablet found near Hadrian’s Wall, in northern England and a unique Roman will found near Trawsfynydd – the only one of its kind found in the UK.

If you’re interested in history, aged between 8 and 15 and live in Gwynedd, why not join the Young Archaeologists Club.

For further information, contact Esther Roberts at the Gwynedd Museum & Art Gallery, Bangor on 01248 353 368.

Recipe for Libum Cake
1 cup plain flour
8 ounces ricotta cheese
1 egg, beaten
bay leaves
1/2 cup clear honey

Sift the flour into a bowl, Beat the cheese until it is soft and stir it into the flour with the egg.  Form a soft dough, divide into four and mould into a bun shape. Place on top of a greased bay leaf on a greased baking tray. Cover with a casserole dish lid or similar and cook in an oven at 425oF for 35 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve warm with warmed honey.

This was a sacrificial cake that would be offered to household spirits during Roman times.  The recipe was recorded by the Roman consul Cato in his writings ‘On Agriculture’ who collected information and recipes from farmers and agricultural workers during the Roman period.