New
evidence that spices, fruits from Asia had reached the Mediterranean earlier
than thought
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität
München
Bronze Age market scene at the Levant. Illustration: Nikola NevenovAsian
spices such as turmeric and fruits like the banana had already reached the
Mediterranean more than 3000 years ago, much earlier than previously thought.
A
team of researchers working alongside archaeologist Philipp Stockhammer at
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität in Munich (LMU) has shown that even in the
Bronze Age, long-distance trade in food was already connecting distant
societies.
A
market in the city of Megiddo in the Levant 3700 years ago: The market traders
are hawking not only wheat, millet or dates, which grow throughout the region,
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Exotic Asian spices such as turmeric and fruits like the banana had already reached the Mediterranean more than 3000 years ago, much earlier than previously thought. A team of researchers working alongside archaeologist Philipp Stockhammer at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität in Munich (LMU) has shown that even in the Bronze Age, long-distance trade in food was already connecting distant societies.
A market in the city of Megiddo in the Levant 3700 years ago: The market traders are hawking not only wheat, millet or dates, which grow throughout the region, but also carafes of sesame oil and bowls of a bright yellow spice that has recently appeared among their wares. This is how Philipp Stockhammer imagines the bustle of the Bronze Age market in the eastern Mediterranean. Working with an international team to analyze food residues in tooth tartar, the LMU archaeologist has found evidence that people in the Levant were already eating turmeric, bananas and even soy in the
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Exotic Asian spices such as turmeric and fruits like the banana had already reached the Mediterranean more than 3000 years ago, much earlier than previously thought. A team of researchers working alongside archaeologist Philipp Stockhammer at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität in Munich (LMU) has shown that even in the Bronze Age, long-distance trade in food was already connecting distant societies.
A market in the city of Megiddo in the Levant 3700 years ago: The market traders are hawking not only wheat, millet or dates, which grow throughout the region, but also carafes of sesame oil and bowls of a bright yellow spice that has recently appeared among their wares. This is how Philipp Stockhammer imagines the bustle of the Bronze Age market in the eastern Mediterranean. Working with an international team to analyze food residues in tooth tartar, the LMU archaeologist has found evidence that people in the Levant were already eating turmeric, bananas and even soy in the Bronz
Curry spices, fruits and oils from Asia were part of the European diet thousands of years earlier than previously believed, according to new research.
Asian spices such as turmeric and fruits like the banana had already reached the Mediterranean more than 3,000 years ago, suggests the study.
Researchers analysing food residue in tooth tartar found that even in the Bronze Age, long-distance trade in culinary goods was already connecting distant societies.
They believe market traders in the eastern Mediterranean city of Megiddo in modern-day Israel 3,700 years ago were selling sesame oil and bowls of exotic Asian spices as well as staples of European diets including wheat, millet and dates.
Food trade with South Asia revealed by Near East food remains phys.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from phys.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.