A groundbreaking discovery has been made by archaeologists in the Stone Age settlement of Çatal Hüyük in Anatolia, Turkey. The world’s oldest bread, dating back approximately 8,600 years, was found in the ruins of an oven structure that had mostly been destroyed.
The Turkish Necmett Erbakan University announced this remarkable find, stating that wheat, barley, seeds, and a round, spongy residue were discovered in the oven. This bread was described as “fermented bread from the year 6600 BCE.”
Assistant professor Ali Umut Turkcan, who led the archaeological excavations at Çatal Hüyük, pointed out that this is a significant discovery as it is believed to be the earliest remains of raised bread ever found. While there have been earlier findings of bread in Egypt, this discovery is unique because of its miniature size and the presence of a fingerprint in the center. This indicates that it was made for preservation purposes rather than consumption.
Salih Kavak, a biologist who studied the bread sample, called it an exciting discovery for both Turkey and the world. He highlighted how this find sheds new light on ancient food preservation techniques and provides insight into how early human civilizations survived and thrived.
The site of Çatal Hüyük has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2012 and is considered one of the most important Stone Age settlements in history with a population of around 5-10 thousand people living there between 7500 BC-6400 BC. This discovery further highlights its significance in understanding early human societies and their way of life.
Overall, this remarkable find has shed new light on our understanding of early human civilizations’ way of life and how they preserved their food resources through time.