Neolithic roots of focaccia: Ancient tray ovens revealed
Focaccia is one of the most popular Italian baked goods. Although it's hard to believe, it turns out that it was probably baked centuries ago! According to scientists, between 7000 and 5000 B.C., agricultural communities in the Middle East Fertile Crescent region baked large loaves of bread akin to modern focaccia.
Published in the journal Scientific Reports, discoveries by researchers from the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (UAB), the Mila and Fontanals Institute (IMF-CSIC) in Spain, the Sapienza University of Rome, and the University of Lyon indicate that in the late Neolithic period, agricultural communities in the Fertile Crescent region of the Middle East (Mesopotamia) had a developed culinary culture.
Researchers were intrigued by thick clay ceramic trays with an oval base and low walls. Their characteristic feature was the internal surface, marked with rough impressions or incisions arranged repetitively and regularly.
Analysis of fragments of these vessels, dating from 6400–5900 B.C. and found at archaeological sites Mezraa Teleilat, Akarçay Tepe, and Tell Sabi Abyad between Syria and Turkey, allowed researchers to determine that some of them were used for baking large loaves of bread and seasoned flatbreads.
Research revealed the presence of grain flour, such as wheat and barley, and analyses of organic residues showed traces of animal fats and plant-based spices.
Bread and focaccia: fascinating discovery of scientists
Experiments conducted by scientists suggest that loaves weighing about 3 kilograms were baked on the mentioned trays in dome ovens for about 2 hours at an initial temperature of 420°C (Greenwich Time). The characteristic grooves inside the vessels facilitated the removal of baked bread.
The size of the loaves indicates that they were intended for communal consumption, emphasizing the importance of food in the social life of those communities.
"Our study offers a vivid picture of communities using the cereals they cultivated to prepare breads and ‘focaccias’ enriched with various ingredients and consumed in groups," explains Sergio Taranto, the lead author of the study, part of a doctoral thesis carried out at UAB and La Sapienza.
"The use of the husking trays we identified leads us to consider that this Late Neolithic culinary tradition developed over approximately six centuries and was practiced in a wide area of the Near East,” the researcher summarises.
The results of these studies shed new light not only on the diet of our ancestors but also on their social and cultural customs. Communal meal preparation and consumption may have played a key role in building social bonds.
Focaccia – what kind of baked good is it?
Contemporary focaccia is an Italian bread made from yeast dough, like pizza. The baked good enjoys immense popularity in Italy and many other countries.
Focaccia embodies the essence of Italian culinary arts. It is tasty and simple, can be served with many toppings, and stays fresh for a long time.
