The pig in Scotland 1600-1815 : an investigation of the domestic pig's role in the cultural, social and economic history of Scotland during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries

This study is the first comprehensive evaluation of the pig's cultural, economic and social significance in Scotland for the time period 1600-1815. It explores a range of aspects of the pig's role at this time, including the evidence for social attitudes towards the animal, particularly in relation to the alleged prejudice against pork, and pigs in general, and considers the role of folklore and literature in the construction of an unflattering and enduring image of the pig . The evaluation of social attitudes to the pig over this time period, particularly through the use of textual analysis, is the foundation to understanding the pig's role in a Scottish context. Changing attitudes to the type of pig considered worth rearing as it becomes an economically viable animal are demonstrated in the context of a rapidly changing agricultural and commercial environment in the course of the eighteenth century. The study also investigates patterns of pig production and husbandry such as the seasonality of pig-rearing and means of animal control. Patterns of pork consumption are examined for evidence of the pig's culinary use and how this relates to social class. Lastly, the research concentrates on the pig's commercial role, examining the significance of economic factors, such as the price and quality of salt determining the market for and profitability of preserved meat, particularly in relation to Aberdeen's barrelled pork industry. This study argues that the expanding market, particularly in the context of the wider British commercial environment, is a major factor in the increasing numbers and more widespread availability of pigs and pork as the eighteenth century progressesEThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo