World’s oldest bread discovered in Turkey dates back 8,600 years

Organic residue found to be 8,600 years old

In a groundbreaking discovery, Turkish archaeologists have unearthed what is believed to be the world’s oldest bread. The discovery dates back to 6600 BC and was discovered at the archaeological site of Katalhöyük in Konya province in southern Turkey.

The remains of the bread were found near a partially destroyed oven building in an area called Mekan 66, surrounded by ancient adobe houses.according to press release The bread, from Turkey’s Necmettin Erbakan University Center for Scientific Research and Applications (BITAM), appeared to be round, spongy debris and was identified through analysis.

The organic residue turned out to be 8,600-year-old uncooked leavened bread. CNN report.

“We can say that this is the oldest bread in the world, discovered in Catalhöyuk,” archaeologist Ali Umut Turkcan, head of the excavation team and associate professor at Anadolu University in Turkey, told Turkey’s state-run news agency Anadolu News Agency on Wednesday. Told.

“It’s a miniature version of the bread. It’s pressed in the center with your finger, and it’s not baked, but it’s fermented, leaving the starch inside that has survived to this day. There’s nothing like it.” Until now. “This happened to me,” he added.

Microscopic analysis confirmed the team’s suspicions. Scanning electron microscopy images revealed air spaces and discernible starch granules within the sample. Salif Kavak, a biologist at Turkey’s Gaziantep University, said in a press release that the discovery “removes doubts” about bread’s authenticity.

Further analysis revealed the chemical composition of the samples, including both plant material and indicators of fermentation. This suggests that the dough may have been made by mixing flour and water, then prepared near the oven and stored for some time.

“This is an exciting discovery for Turkey and the world,” Kabak said.

Archaeologist Turkan explains that the thin layer of clay encasing the structure acted as a preservative for organic materials such as wood and bread.