For many , sitting down for a meal is less about what ’s on the dinner party plate and more about the customs and bonding that add up with the experience – a trait that may have defined human food - product and consumption practice session for thousands of years .
An digging of an ancient 23 - hectare archaeological internet site has unearthed a fistful of food grain - found “ Cheerios ” that researchers say potential was n’t made for eating .
Located at the intersection of two major ancient trade routes , the site of Stillfried an der March in Austria was a key place where large stores of texture and textiles were kept between 900 and 1000 BCE . fresh inquiry issue inPLOS ONEdescribes the unearthing of three incomplete grain rings find oneself in a pit nearby another hold 14 similar annulus made of the Great Compromiser . An negatron microscopy analysis of the scratch suggest it was made of fine timber flour from barleycorn and wheat , most likely form into a circle from a wet grain variety and dried without bake – a time - intensive and involved operation .
But if it was n’t meant for eat , why drop the effort ?
Cereals were not just a major constituent in daily meals but may have also served ritualistic intent . The crusade put into the preparation of the doughy rings is different than other foods from the site , intend they may have served a greater aim . The research worker note that the 3,000 - yr - old rings were in skilful status , suggesting they were cautiously deposited intact on the bottom of the pit and were insure so that damage did not occur . It ’s possible the dough rings may have even been made to imitate the clay gang found nearby , which researchers trust could be loom weight .
" Prehistoric baker produce so much more than just bread . A Late Bronze Age ' odd ' bank deposit from central European site Stillfried yielded lucre ring comparable to Italian tarallini , discovered together with a large number of clay loom weight , likewise mob - regulate – resulting in new insights into the textile civilisation of food , symbolization , and diverseness of dish , " say discipline generator Andreas Heiss in astatement .
The authors highlight the ethnic importance of “ transforming raw ingredients into food for thought ” and how decide on “ the choices of plant mintage , their respective parts to be consumed , and the translation of those into meals involve their incorporation into the societal place of a civilisation . ”
“ Everyday food ” provide insight into the production , nutrition value , and the kinds of tools involved . On the other hand , ritual food provide context and apply cultural and societal meaning .
“ Each of those meals reflects individual life experiences , collective memory , and identicalness , ” publish the authors , add that food - based corpse are scarce and it very well may be that some plant - based products go overlooked .
