8,600-Year-Old Bread Discovered in Turkey - Oldest Ever Found

New Delhi : Archaeologists in Turkey have unearthed what they believe is the world's oldest bread, dating back a staggering 8,600 years to 6600 BC. The discovery was made at Çatalhöyük, a renowned archaeological site in southern Turkey's Konya province.

The bread residue, found near a partially destroyed oven structure in an area called "Mekan 66" surrounded by ancient mudbrick houses, appears to be a round, spongy remnant. Analysis confirmed it to be uncooked, fermented bread.

Archaeologist Ali Umut Turkcan, head of the Excavation Delegation and an associate professor at Anadolu University in Turkey, said, "Our excavations at Çatalhöyük have yielded the world's oldest bread, dating back an incredible 8,600 years. This unique find appears to be a small, unbaked, fermented loaf with a finger indentation. The well-preserved starches suggest a new kind of early bread production technique."

Microscopic analysis using a scanning electron microscope solidified the team's suspicions. Images revealed air pockets and distinct starch granules within the sample, confirming its authenticity as bread according to Salih Kavak, a biologist at Gaziantep University in Turkey.

Further analysis delved into the sample's chemical composition, identifying both plant matter and markers of fermentation. This suggests a dough made from flour and water, prepared near the oven and possibly stored for a period.

"It is an exciting discovery for Turkey and the world," Kavak said.

Archaeologist Turkcan attributes the remarkable preservation of organic materials like wood and bread to a thin layer of clay encasing the structure. This layer likely acted as a natural time capsule.