The ancient Romans manufactured specialized terra cotta jars called "gliraria" for the express purpose of raising edible dormice (Glis glis), which were considered a delicacy and frequently eaten either as a snack or as part of a banquet. These unusual vessels were ribbed on the inside, providing the dormice with several "stories" of platforms to walk on, and would be stocked abundantly with food, usually including beechnuts, acorns, and/or chestnuts. A number of dormice would be shut up in a glirarium and allowed to fatten up until they were deemed suitable for eating. Of course, fatter dormice were considered more desireable, and could even be a source of prestige for a Roman host; primary source documents mention that scales would sometimes be brought to banquets, so that the diners could take note of the weight of a dormouse before it was eaten!