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Prehistoric pottery tells tale of humanity’s first master bakers
BARCELONA — A new archaeological study has revealed that some of humanity’s earliest farmers weren’t just making basic flatbreads — they were crafting something closer to modern-day focaccia, complete with seasonings and oils. This discovery dates back to communities that lived between 6400 and 5900 BCE in what is now Syria and Turkey.
While it’s long been known that ancient peoples were baking bread, researchers now have evidence that these early cooks were far more sophisticated than previously thought. Using specialized clay trays, they were creating both plain loaves and more elaborate recipes that included animal fats and plant oils. Their study shows how experimental cooking has been part of human culture for at least 8,000 years.
These ancient clay trays were essentially the world’s first non-stick baking pans. Made from coarse clay, they featured distinctive grooved patterns on their inner surfaces, not unlike modern bread pans, but with scoring that helped prevent the dough from sticking. These vessels, which archaeologists call “husking trays,” were previously thought to be used mainly for processing grains. Now, thanks to new research techniques, we know they were actually well-crafted baking dishes.
The international research team, led by Sergio Taranto from Sapienza University of Rome and the Autonomous University of Barcelona, examined 13 fragments of these ancient trays from three archaeological sites: Mezraa Teleilat, Akarçay Tepe, and Tell Sabi Abyad.
To understand how these ancient bakers worked, researchers recreated their methods using replica trays. They found that when placed in dome-shaped ovens heated to around 420°C (788°F), which is about twice as hot as a modern home oven can get. These trays could bake large loaves of bread in about two hours. The grooved patterns helped prevent the bread from sticking, much like how we grease and flour pans today.
“Our study offers a vivid picture of communities using the cereals they cultivated to prepare breads and ‘focaccias’ enriched with various ingredients and consumed in groups,” Taranto says in a statement. The size of these breads — weighing around 3 kilograms (about 6.6 pounds) — suggests they may have been meant for sharing among community members.
The research team used three different methods to analyze the tray fragments. First, they looked for wear patterns, similar to how a well-used modern pan shows signs of what’s been cooked in it. They also searched for microscopic remains of plants (called phytoliths) and chemical traces of fats and oils that had soaked into the clay over time.
What they found was fascinating. Some trays showed signs of being used only for basic bread, while others contained evidence of more elaborate recipes including animal fats and plant oils. They identified both wheat and barley as ingredients, confirming these early bakers were using the crops they grew to make their bread.
“The use of the husking trays we identified leads us to consider that this Late Neolithic culinary tradition developed over approximately six centuries and was practiced in a wide area of the Near East,” says Taranto.
This discovery, published in Scientific Reports, is certainly exciting news for both history and baking buffs alike. It shows how complex cooking techniques developed alongside early farming, much earlier than we may have realized. Rather than simply producing simple recipes for survival, these communities were developing sophisticated culinary traditions, experimenting with different ingredients and techniques, and possibly even specializing in particular recipes.
The next time you bite into a soft, warm, and delicious piece of focaccia, you’ll know you can thank these primitive chefs for their creativity.
Paper Summary
Methodology
The research team used three main techniques that complement each other, much like piecing together a puzzle. Just as a detective might examine physical evidence, chemical traces, and witness accounts to solve a case, these researchers looked at physical wear on the pottery, plant remains trapped in the clay, and chemical residues from fats and oils.
The wear patterns on the pottery told them how the vessels were used – similar to how a well-used modern pan shows signs of cooking through discoloration and surface changes. To find plant remains, they looked for microscopic bits of silica that form inside plants (called phytoliths), which survive long after the plants themselves have decomposed. For the chemical analysis, they searched for traces of fats and oils that had soaked into the clay over thousands of years.
Results
The analysis revealed two distinct types of bread-making. Some trays showed evidence of basic bread production, while others contained clear signs of more elaborate recipes using animal fats and plant oils. The researchers found remains of both wheat and barley, confirming these communities were using their cultivated grains for bread-making.
The temperature evidence was particularly interesting – chemical markers showed these vessels reached at least 300°C (572°F), matching the temperatures needed for bread baking. This finding validates the experimental recreations that suggested these trays were used in hot dome-shaped ovens.
Limitations
While this research provides fascinating insights, it’s important to note its boundaries. The study examined only 13 pottery fragments from three archaeological sites in one region of the Middle East. This means the findings might not represent all ancient bread-making practices across different areas and cultures.
Additionally, after 8,000 years, many organic materials have decomposed, potentially limiting our understanding of all the ingredients these ancient bakers might have used. The researchers could only identify substances that left detectable chemical traces in the clay.
Discussion and Takeaways
This study fundamentally changes our understanding of early farming communities. Instead of seeing them as people focused solely on basic food production, we now know they were developing sophisticated cooking techniques and recipes. The evidence suggests they weren’t just making bread for survival – they were creating varied recipes and possibly sharing these larger loaves among community members.
Funding and Disclosures
The research was a collaborative effort involving multiple institutions, including the Autonomous University of Barcelona, Sapienza University of Rome, the Milà i Fontanals Institution, and the University of Lyon. Funding came from the I + D project through the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion and Sapienza University of Rome’s Department of Science of Antiquities.
Publication Information
The study “Unveiling the culinary tradition of ‘focaccia’ in Late Neolithic Mesopotamia by way of the integration of use-wear, phytolith & organic-residue analyses” was published in Scientific Reports on November 5, 2024.
