• About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Donation
  • Contact
No Result
View All Result
Archaeology News
  • Home
  • News
    • Archaeology
    • Anthropology
    • Paleontology
  • Academics
    • Books
    • Conferences
    • Universities
  • Articles
  • VR Tours
  • Quiz & Game
  • Download
  • Encyclopedia
  • Forum
Archaeology News
No Result
View All Result
Home News Archaeology

5,000-year-old burnt food remains reveals varied Neolithic diets in Germany

by Dario Radley
January 26, 2024

In a recent study conducted by researchers from the Collaborative Research Center (CRC) 1266 at Kiel University, the culinary habits of early inhabitants in Eastern Holstein, Germany, have been brought to light through the analysis of burnt food residues on ceramic vessels.

5,000-year-old burnt food remains reveals varied Neolithic diets in Germany
This pottery shard has 5,000-year-old charred food on it. Credit: BIAX, PLOS ONE (2024)

This marks the first archaeobotanical exploration of such residues, offering a unique glimpse into the diverse meals prepared in the Neolithic settlement of Oldenburg LA 77 around 5,000 years ago.

Published in PLOS ONE, the study employed scanning electron microscopy and chemical analysis to unveil the complex preparation of plant-based foods in this ancient community. The ceramic vessels, originating from one of the oldest villages in Schleswig-Holstein, revealed a sophisticated combination of cereals and wild plants in the meals of these early farmers.

The “food crusts” discovered on the ceramic shards contained tissue remnants of emmer and barley grains, along with seeds from the white goosefoot, a wild plant rich in starchy seeds.

5,000-year-old burnt food remains reveals varied Neolithic diets in Germany
SEM image showing a charred emmer grain with sprouted embryo from the occupation layer at Oldenburg LA 77. Credit: Lucy Kubiak-Martens, Biax Consult

Dr. Dragana Filipović, research associate at the CRC 1266, highlighted the significance of the findings, stating, “Charred grains and chaff from emmer and barley, as well as seeds from white goosefoot, have already been documented by archaeobotanical analyses of soil samples from this Neolithic settlement.”

RelatedStories

5,500-year-old 'Polish pyramids' discovered in western Poland reveal Neolithic engineering

5,500-year-old ‘Polish pyramids’ discovered in western Poland reveal Neolithic engineering

July 11, 2025
Neanderthals operated prehistoric “fat factory” 125,000 years ago on German lakeshore, study finds

Neanderthals operated prehistoric “fat factory” 125,000 years ago on German lakeshore

July 3, 2025

The study further illuminated that the Neolithic diet was not monotonous but rather diverse. The barley, harvested at the milky-ripe stage, was processed similarly to green spelt traditionally produced in Baden-Württemberg, while emmer was processed in a sprouted state, imparting a sweet flavor to the porridge.

Dr. Lucy Kubiak-Martens, a cooperation partner of BIAX Consult and the study’s first author, highlighted the intentional nature of this culinary experiment, stating, “It looked like someone had mixed cereal grains with the protein-rich seeds and cooked it with water. It wasn’t incidental, it was a choice.”

5,000-year-old burnt food remains reveals varied Neolithic diets in Germany
A 5000-year-old burnt food crust on a ceramic sherd from Oldenburg LA 77. Credit: Agnes Heitmann, Kiel University

Moreover, a separate pottery shard containing animal fat residue, likely milk, provided insights into the ingredients used during this ancient cooking episode. Dr. Kubiak-Martens said: “While the animal fats are absorbed into the ceramic and leave a signal there, the plant food components can only be detected in the burnt food crust.”

Complementing these findings, an integrated botanical and chemical approach was employed in a study on Funnel Beaker ceramics from Oldenburg LA 77, as reported by researchers in northern Germany. The study, incorporating scanning electron microscopy, attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and direct time-resolved mass spectrometry, offered detailed information about the ingredients, cooking methods, and seasonal timing of Neolithic food preparation.

More information: Kubiak-Martens, L., Oudemans, T. F. M., Brozio, J. P., Filipović, D., Müller, J., & Kirleis, W. (2024). Transformation of cereal grains: Botanical and chemical analysis of food residues encrusted on pottery from the Funnel Beaker settlement of Oldenburg LA 77, northern Germany. PloS One, 19(1), e0296986. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0296986
ShareTweetShareShareSend

You May Also Like...

5,500-year-old 'Polish pyramids' discovered in western Poland reveal Neolithic engineering
Anthropology

5,500-year-old ‘Polish pyramids’ discovered in western Poland reveal Neolithic engineering

July 11, 2025
17th-century Gullberg’s fortress in Gothenburg brought to life through 3D reconstruction
Archaeology

17th-century Gullberg’s fortress in Gothenburg brought to life through 3D reconstruction

July 11, 2025
Neanderthals turned cave lion bones into multifunctional tools 130,000 years ago, study reveals
Anthropology

Neanderthals turned cave lion bones into multifunctional tools 130,000 years ago, study reveals

July 10, 2025
Donkey sacrifice from 4,500 years ago in ancient Gath reveals early Canaan–Egypt trade
Archaeology

Donkey sacrifice from 4,500 years ago in ancient Gath reveals early Canaan–Egypt trade

July 10, 2025
300,000-year-old wooden tools found in China reveal early humans’ plant-based diet and cognitive abilities in East Asia
Anthropology

300,000-year-old wooden tools found in China reveal early humans’ plant-based diet and cognitive abilities in East Asia

July 9, 2025
Lost medieval town of Hamarkaupangen rediscovered in Norway after years of searching
Archaeology

Lost medieval town of Hamarkaupangen rediscovered in Norway after years of searching

July 9, 2025

Follow us


Instagram
247K

Facebook
110K

Threads
43K

LinkedIn
12K

Twitter
6K

YouTube
1K
  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Shipwreck Salvage. Credit: rawpixel.com / Public Domain

2,000-year-old shipwreck discovered off Turkish coast with remarkably preserved stacked ceramics

July 2, 2025
Viking age DNA reveals 9,000-year-old HIV-resistant gene originating near the Black Sea

Viking age DNA reveals 9,000-year-old HIV-resistant gene originating near the Black Sea

May 18, 2025
Neanderthals operated prehistoric “fat factory” 125,000 years ago on German lakeshore, study finds

Neanderthals operated prehistoric “fat factory” 125,000 years ago on German lakeshore

July 3, 2025
Exceptionally large Roman shoes discovered at Magna fort near Hadrian’s Wall

Exceptionally large Roman shoes discovered at Magna fort near Hadrian’s Wall

July 3, 2025
Genetic study reveals the origin and diversity of the Huns

European Huns were not of Turkic origin but had ancient Siberian roots, linguistic study reveals

June 24, 2025
$1 million prize offered to decipher 5,300-year-old Indus Valley script

$1 million prize offered to decipher 5,300-year-old Indus Valley script

Oldest ever genetic data from a human relative found in 2-million-year-old fossilized teeth

Oldest ever genetic data from a human relative found in 2-million-year-old fossilized teeth

A 21-year-old student successfully deciphered the first word from the Herculaneum scrolls, charred during Mount Vesuvius' eruption

A 21-year-old student successfully deciphered the first word from the Herculaneum scrolls, charred during Mount Vesuvius’ eruption

New evidence reveals the source of mercury in the mausoleum of the first Qin emperor

New evidence reveals the source of mercury in the mausoleum of the first Qin emperor

Oldest US firearm discovered in Arizona: a 500-year-old relic of Coronado's expedition

Oldest US firearm discovered in Arizona: a 500-year-old relic of Coronado’s expedition

5,500-year-old 'Polish pyramids' discovered in western Poland reveal Neolithic engineering

5,500-year-old ‘Polish pyramids’ discovered in western Poland reveal Neolithic engineering

July 11, 2025
17th-century Gullberg’s fortress in Gothenburg brought to life through 3D reconstruction

17th-century Gullberg’s fortress in Gothenburg brought to life through 3D reconstruction

July 11, 2025
Neanderthals turned cave lion bones into multifunctional tools 130,000 years ago, study reveals

Neanderthals turned cave lion bones into multifunctional tools 130,000 years ago, study reveals

July 10, 2025
Donkey sacrifice from 4,500 years ago in ancient Gath reveals early Canaan–Egypt trade

Donkey sacrifice from 4,500 years ago in ancient Gath reveals early Canaan–Egypt trade

July 10, 2025
300,000-year-old wooden tools found in China reveal early humans’ plant-based diet and cognitive abilities in East Asia

300,000-year-old wooden tools found in China reveal early humans’ plant-based diet and cognitive abilities in East Asia

July 9, 2025

Archaeology News online magazine

Archaeology News is an international online magazine that covers all aspects of archaeology.











Categories

  • Academics
    • Books
    • Conferences
    • Universities
  • Articles
  • Download
  • Game
  • News
    • Anthropology
    • Archaeology
    • Paleontology
  • Quiz
  • Tours

Subscribe to our newsletter

© 2024 - Archaeology News Online Magazine. All Rights Reserved.

  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Donation
  • Contact

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

  • Home
  • News
    • Archaeology
    • Anthropology
    • Paleontology
  • Academics
    • Books
    • Conferences
    • Universities
  • Articles
  • VR Tours
  • Quiz & Game
  • Download
  • Encyclopedia
  • Forum

About  .  Contact  .  Donation

© 2024 - Archaeology News Online Magazine. All Rights Reserved

We use cookies to improve your experience and enable functionality and security of this site. Further detail is available in our Privacy Policy. By accepting all cookies, you consent to our use of cookies and use of data.