Heliciculture

Heliciculture, also known as heliculture, commonly known as snail farming, is the process of raising land snails specifically for human use, either to use their flesh as edible escargot, or more recently, to obtain snail slime for use in cosmetics, or snail eggs for human consumption as a type of caviar.

Perhaps the best known edible land snail species in the Western world is Helix pomatia (also known as Roman snail or Burgundy snail). This snail is located throughout much of Europe. Helix aspersa, being next most known, were found originally in the Mediterranean region. Helix aspera are now common in many parts of North America, Central America, and Australasia.

Roasted snail shells have been found in archaeological excavations, an indication that snails have been eaten since prehistoric times.

Lumaca romana, (translation: Roman snail), was an ancient method of snail farming or heliciculture in the region about Tarquinia. This snail farming method was described by (49 BC) and mentioned by Marcus Terentius Varro in De Re rustica III, 12. The snails were fattened for human consumption using spelt and aromatic herbs. People usually raised snails in pens near the house, and these pens were called "".

The Romans, in particular, are known to have considered escargot as an elite food, as noted in the writings of Pliny. The Romans selected the best snails for breeding. Shells of the edible land snail species Otala lactea have been recovered in archaeological excavations of Volubilis in present-day Morocco.

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