Re-creating the complex cuisine of prehistoric Europeans

Archaeologists have combined advanced analytical techniques with experimental cooking to reconstruct the specific diets of prehistoric Eastern European hunter-gatherer-fishers. Published in PLoS ONE, the study analyzed organic residues on 58 pottery fragments dating from the 6th to 3rd millennium BCE, sourced from coastal, riverine, and lakeside sites. By employing scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to examine microstructures and conducting lipid and isotopic analyses, the team moved beyond identifying just animal remains to pinpoint the exact plants and combinations used in ancient kitchens. This approach revealed that these communities were not merely surviving but crafting region-specific recipes from locally available resources.

The technical analysis identified distinct culinary zones: shards from the Don River basin contained residues of wild legumes and grasses like barley, while Baltic region samples showed high traces of freshwater fish combined with berries, sea beetroot, and tubers. Notably, evidence of dairy products was found in Danish samples, suggesting early trade with farming communities. To validate their findings, researchers conducted controlled cooking experiments using replica pots, boiling combinations like guelder rose berries with carp over open fires to see how residues formed. This methodology sets a new standard for archaeobotany, proving that prehistoric cuisine was far more complex and varied than previously assumed, with implications for understanding trade, ecology, and social structures of early societies.