Uncovering the Ancient Origins of Wheat: Evidence of Early Grain Bread
In a groundbreaking new study, researchers have found that ancient humans were baking grain-based bread millennia earlier than previously thought. The scientists discovered evidence of the baking process in a site in Jordan that dates back 14,400 years. The discovery, which is the earliest evidence of bread-making, suggests that the human invention of bread was a crucial part of the development of agriculture.
For thousands of years, bread has been a staple food for many cultures around the world. But until now, the earliest evidence of bread-making was from 9,100 years ago. Now, a team of researchers have uncovered evidence of a much earlier form of bread-making. In the site of Shubayqa 1 in Jordan, they found charred grains that had been ground, sieved, and kneaded into a dough, and then cooked. This process indicates that the ancient humans at the site were baking a type of flatbread, making it the oldest known example of bread-making.
The discovery is more than just an interesting fact about ancient history; it also has implications for understanding the development of agriculture. The researchers suggest that the invention of bread-making was a key event in the transition from a nomadic lifestyle to a more settled one.
source: Phys.org