In a remarkable discovery that bridges the ancient past with the present, archaeologists in Turkey have unearthed a 5,000-year-old loaf of bread, sparking a revival of an ancient recipe and inspiring a potential agricultural shift.
The bread, found at the archaeological site of Küllüoba near Eskişehir, dates back to around 3300 B.C. The discovery, made in September 2024, revealed a round, flat bread, remarkably preserved by fire and soil. It was buried beneath the threshold of a Bronze Age home.
According to Murat Türkteki, the archaeologist directing the excavation, "This is the oldest baked bread to have come to light during an excavation, and it has largely been able to preserve its shape." The find is particularly significant as bread is a rare find in archaeological digs, with only crumbs usually surviving.
The discovery inspired Eskişehir's mayor, Ayşe Ünlüce, to explore recreating the bread. Working with Halk Ekmek, a municipally supported bakery, the team used archaeobotanical analysis to determine the original ingredients: coarsely ground emmer wheat, lentil seeds, and a natural yeast derived from an unidentified plant leaf.
Since emmer wheat is no longer grown in Turkey, the bakers substituted Kavilca wheat, an ancient variety still found in Anatolia. The resulting bread, a firm, low-gluten, preservative-free loaf, was an immediate success, selling out quickly. The bakery now produces 300 loaves daily.
Beyond its culinary appeal, the discovery has implications for sustainable agriculture. Kavilca wheat is drought-resistant, offering a potential solution for the region's water scarcity. Mayor Ünlüce hopes to encourage local farmers to cultivate this ancient grain, viewing it as a symbolic step towards adapting to climate change.
As archaeologists continue to study Küllüoba, a settlement of the Hattians, each artifact brings the past to life, highlighting the ingenuity and resourcefulness of ancient civilizations.