In the region of the Fertile Crescent, that is, the "Cradle of Civilization" between modern-day Syria and Turkey, as long as 7,000–5,000 years BCE, agricultural communities developed a complex culinary tradition. This conclusion was reached by an international team of scientists from UAB and La Sapienza University in Rome. One of the key discoveries of the new study is the use of special clay trays for baking large breads and focaccias.
The ancient trays, known to archaeologists as "husking trays," differ from regular cookware by their rough texture and grooves that make it easier to extract baked goods after cooking.
What ancient people ate
According to experiments, in the ancient "Cradle of Civilization," baked goods weighing up to 3 kg were baked in dome-shaped ovens at temperatures up to 420°C for two hours. Scientists believe these breads were often intended for communal meals.
In their research, published in the journal Scientific Reports (Nature Portfolio), Western scientists studied fragments of ancient trays found at archaeological sites in Mezraa Teleilat, Akarçay Tepe, and Tell Sabi Abiad.
The age of the finds is dated to 6,400–5,900 years BCE.
Through phytolith analysis (silicate plant residues), it was established that the trays contained flour from wheat (Triticum sp.) and barley (Hordeum sp.).
Organic residues indicated the use of animal products (fat) and plant ingredients (including oil for seasoning).
"The degradation of these residues indicates that the baking temperature corresponded to experimental data for dome-shaped ovens."
Ancient cuisine and its significance
The use of clay trays for preparing familiar 21st-century focaccia with various additives demonstrates a high degree of social and gastronomic organization among the late Neolithic people, the scientists write.
According to the lead author of the new study, Sergio Taranto, this tradition persisted for six centuries, spreading over a significant part of the Middle East.
"Our study sheds light on the special process of how ancient communities from the late Neolithic prepared breads and focaccias with additives for communal consumption," notes Taranto, who is defending his doctoral thesis on this topic.
Co-authors of the study included staff from UAB and SAPPO, including Adrià Breu, Anna Bach, and Miquel Molist. It is also noted that the analysis was carried out with the participation of researchers from Turkey and France.