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Summary

Archaeologists have discovered the oldest bread in the world, dating back around 8600 years, in the Neolithic settlement of Çatalhöyük in central Turkey.

Abstract

The discovery of the oldest bread in the world was made in the Neolithic settlement of Çatalhöyük in central Turkey. The bread, which is around 8600 years old, was found in a furnace structure in one of the buildings in the area labeled "Mekan 66." Analyses conducted at the Center for Research and Application of Scientific and Technological Studies at Necmettin Erbakan University revealed that it was fermented bread from around 6600 BCE. The discovery is significant as it provides valuable insights into the food habits of ancient civilizations.

Opinions

  • The discovery of the oldest bread in the world is an extraordinary archaeological find.
  • Çatalhöyük is a major stop in food archaeology.
  • The discovery from 2021 shows that organic remains can be identified based on detailed documentation and research.
  • The bread was formed around 6600 BCE and has survived to modern times with starch inside.
  • The earliest known evidence of sourdough bread comes from Egypt, but the find from Çatalhöyük predates all others.
  • The inhabitants of Çatalhöyük were mostly craftsmen who produced an impressive range of tools, ceramics, and works of art.
  • The architectural layout of Çatalhöyük is characterized by houses made of sun-dried brick, densely built next to each other and connected by a complex network of narrow streets.

Archaeologists have probably found the oldest bread in the world. It spent thousands of years in the oven.

This is yet another valuable archaeological discovery in a Turkish Neolithic settlement. Researchers have determined that the find is bread. It’s hard to believe how old it is. It has been stale for millennia.

[Photo: Murat Özsoy 1958, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons]

Turkey is a country beloved not only by vacationers but also by archaeologists. And it’s not surprising. Turkey is home to famous underground cities and the ruins of Troy. However, there are many more archaeological sites there. Recently, in one of them — Çatalhöyük — archaeologists discovered bread dating back around 8600 years.

An Extraordinary Archaeological Discovery in Turkey

Çatalhöyük is a Neolithic settlement whose remains are located in central Turkey. The place is exceptional, not least because it’s one of the first proto-cities ever built. Its inhabitants, numbering around 8,000, lived in houses made of sun-dried brick. In 2012, Çatalhöyük was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

It was there, in one of the buildings in the area labeled “Mekan 66,” that researchers discovered a furnace structure. Wheat, barley, peas, and a spongy residue possibly indicating food were also found around it. Analyses conducted at the Center for Research and Application of Scientific and Technological Studies at Necmettin Erbakan University revealed that it was fermented bread from around 6600 BCE.

The study authors commented that while archaeological discoveries are often associated with buildings and monuments, remnants of food from centuries and millennia ago are equally valuable.

How Old Is the World’s Oldest Bread?

“It must be said that Anatolia is the starting point for food archaeology. Çatalhöyük is one of the major stops here. The discovery from 2021 shows that we can identify organic remains based on detailed documentation and research” — explained Professor Ali Umut Türkcan, quoted by the Arkeonews service.

He added that thanks to the furnace being covered with a thin layer of clay, all organic remains, both wooden and bread-like, have survived to this day. Radiocarbon dating confirmed that the bread was formed around 6600 BCE. It’s unknown why it remained in the oven for thousands of years.

According to the professor, the earliest known evidence of sourdough bread comes from Egypt. However, the find from Çatalhöyük predates all others, making it the oldest bread in the world.

“It’s a primitive form of loaf bread. It has a finger impression in the middle, it wasn’t baked but fermented, and it has survived to modern times with starch inside. There is no other example like this. Çatalhöyük has long been a center of many novelties (archaeological discoveries considered record-breaking in their categories) — Türkcan concluded.

What Was Life Like in Çatalhöyük?

The inhabitants of Çatalhöyük were mostly craftsmen. They produced an impressive range of tools, ceramics, and works of art. The use of obsidian, volcanic glass, for tool and weapon production indicates their extensive trade networks and level of technological advancement. The intricate pottery, adorned with elaborate patterns and motifs, showcases the artistic skills of the people inhabiting this ancient settlement.

One of the most striking features of Çatalhöyük is its characteristic architectural layout. The settlement is characterized by houses made of sun-dried brick, densely built next to each other and connected by a complex network of narrow streets. There are no streets in Çatalhöyük, and access to individual homes often led through the roofs, emphasizing the communal nature of the community’s residents.

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